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Pitt  Press  Series 


P.    VERGILI    MARONIS    GEORGICON 
LIBRI   III.  IV. 


CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

C.  F.  CLAY,  Managkr 

LONDON  :  Fetter  Lane,  E.G.  4 


NEW  YORK.:    G.   P.   PUTNAM'S  SONS 

ROMBAY,  CALCUTTA,  MADRAS:    MACMILLAN  AND  CO.,  Ltd. 

TORONTO  :    J.   M.  DENT  AND  SONS,   Ltd. 

TOKYO:    THE  MARUZEN-K.ABUSH1K.I-KAISHA 


All  rights  reserved 


p.  VERGILI    MARONIS 

GEORGICON 

LIBRI    III.    IV. 

EDITED    WITH  ENGLISH  NOTES 
BY 

A.   SIDGWICK,   M.A. 


'    '    '     '  1  .      , 


CAMBRIDGE: 
AT   THE    UNIVERSITY    PRESS 

1918 

70805 


First  Eiition  1886 
Reprinted  \%()0,  1895,  iS^y,  1908,  1918 


•••••  ••■ 

.!  •      •  •  .      « 


::♦.-.• •• 


PREFATORY   NOTE. 


This  Edition,  being  prepared  for  the  use  of  those  Students 
who  are  not  far  advanced  in  Latin,  does  not  aim  at  doing  more 
than  supplying  in  a  small  compass  such  help  to  the  thorough 
knowledge  of  this  book  as  it  is  probable  would  be  most  useful 
to  them.     It  is  not  intended  to  supply  the  place  of  a  dictionary: 
for  all  students  possess  one,  and  derive  much  benefit  from  its 
careful   use,  both  in  becoming  acquainted  with  the  history  of 
meanings  of  words,  and  also  in  the  exercise  of  that  judgment 
which  is  required  to  select  the  right  meaning.     On  the  other 
hand  historical  and  mythical   allusions   are   explained   in   the 
notes,  as  many  students  might  find  it  difficult  to  make  them  out 
otherwise.     Great   care   also  has  been  taken  to  notice  all  the 
grammatical    usages  which   might   offer  any  difficulty,  and  to 
classify  them  clearly,  and  to  enable  the  learner,  by  means  of  an 
Index,  to  compare  similar  usages  and  distinguish  those  that  are 
different.     Attention    has  been   given,  too,  to  Vergil's  licences 
and    peculiarities   of  expression,  which    help   him  so  much  in 
producing  rhetorical  and  poetical  effects.     Further,  in  several 
of  the  harder  passages  and  phrases,  an  attempt  has  been  made 
to  help  the  student  in  translation  :  for  while  few  ancient  writers 
are  so  difficult  as  Vergil  to  translate  at  all  adequately,  it  is  at 
the  same  time  of  the  utmost  importance,  both  to  the  literary 
appreciation    of  his    poetry,  and    tiie  advantage  to  be  derived 
from  reading  it,  that  great  pains  should  be  given  to  translation 
and  a  high  standard  aimed  at. 


6  PREFATORY  NOTE. 

With  the  text  there  has  not  been  much  to  do.  Such 
differences  as  there  are  in  the  different  copies,  and  they  are 
not  very  many  (apart  from  obvious  and  easily  corrected  errors), 
are  mostly  unimportant ;  where  the  reading  is  really  difficult  to 
decide  I  have  given  reasons  for  the  one  preferred. 

The  following  books  have  been  used  in  the  preparation  of 
this  little  edition  ;  to  whose  help  my  acknowledgements  are 
due  ; — 

Conington's  Georgics,  last  ed. 

Ribbcck's  Vergil,  1859. 

Heyne's  Vergil,  1821. 

Forbiger's  Vergil,  1852. 

W^agner's  smaller  edition,  1861. 

Kennedy's  School  Vergil,  1876. 
„  Text,  Pitt  Press,  1876. 

Papillon's  Vergil,  Oxford,  1882. 

Ladewig's  Bucolics  and  Georgics,  1883. 
For  the  matter  of  the  Introduction  and  some  of  the  notes 
I    owe   much    to    Conington's   Preface,  to   Prof  Sellar's   most 
interesting  work  on  Vergil,  to  Cruttwell's  Latin  Literature,  and 
Simcox's  Latin  Literature,  and  Munro's  Lucretius. 

I  have  used,  and  occasionally  quoted,  two  translations  of 
these  books:  one  by  Lee  and  Lonsdale,  a  useful  and  careful  prose 
translation  ;  and  one  by  my  friend  Mr  James  Rhoades  of 
Sherborne,  in  blank  verse.  The  latter  seems  to  me  to  be  one 
of  the  best  translations  1  know  of  a  poet,  being  at  once  a 
very  faithful  and  scholarly  rendering,  skilful  and  felicitous  in 
expression,  and  of  high  poetic  merit. 


The  following  abbreviations  are  used  in  the  notes  : 
C.  Conington.  L.  Ladewig, 

\V.  "Wagner,  P.  Papillon, 

F.  Forbigcr,  K.  Kennedy, 

Rib.  Ribbeck,  H.  licyne, 

(LL)  Lee  and  Lonsdale's  translation,        (R)  Rhoades'  translation. 


INTRODUCTION. 


For  the  sake  of  clearness  it  has  been  thought  better  to 
divide  what  little  there  is  to  say  by  way  of  introduction  into  the 
following  heads  : — 

1.  The  form  of  the  poem. 

2.  Vergil  and  Lucretius. 

3.  List  of  Passages  imitated  from  Lucretius. 

4.  The  later  Georgics  and  Homer. 

5.  Principal  Homeric  parallels. 

6.  The  sources  of  the  Georgics. 

7.  Subject  and  purpose  of  the  poem. 

8.  The  execution  of  the  poem. 

9.  Outline  of  Vergil's  hfe. 

At  the  end  is  a  full  index  to  the  notes,  (i)  General  and 
Grammatical,  (2)  of  Style,  (3)  of  Proper  names,  to  enal)le  the 
book  10  be  used  for  purposes  of  ready  relerence. 

I.     The  form  of  the  poem. 

The  Georgics  belong  to  the  class  of  what  are  called  didactic 
poems,  that  is  to  say  poems  whose  original  or  ostensible  object 
is  to  give  instruction.  The  earliest  didactic  poem  was  the 
Works  and  Days  of  the  Greek  poet  Hesiod,  whose  date  is 
uncertain,  but  who  is  generally  assumed  to  have  lived  about 
the  eighth  century  B.  C, 

The  poem  contains  a  great  variety  of  precepts  for  the 
conduct  of  life— about  right  behaviour,  justice,  industry,  the 
choice  of  a  wife,  the  rearing  of  children,  and  above  all,  agriculture, 


8  INTR  OD  UCTION. 

commerce,  and  navigation,  with  a  sort  of  calendar  appended 
giving  the  best  days  and  times  to  do  things.  The  whole  is 
written  in  a  homely  style,  and  tliough  it  gives  a  vivid  picture  of 
early  Greek  rustic  life  and  temper  and  manners  can  hardly  be 
said  to  aim  at  poetic  treatment. 

Besides  Ilesiod  we  have  another  primitive  but  totally 
different  style  of  didactic  poetry  in  the  Greek  philosophic 
poets,  of  whom  the  most  famous  were  Xenophanes  and 
Parmenides  of  Elca,  about  the  sixth  century  B.C.,  and 
Empedocles  of  Agrigentum,  about  the  fifth  century.  These 
writers,  like  Hesiod,  were  not  aiming  primarily  at  poetic 
expression,  though  what  remains  of  their  works  contains 
imaginative  and  impressive  passages  :  their  main  object  was 
to  expound  their  doctrines.  And  as  Hesiod  would  doubtless 
have  written  his  precepts  in  prose,  had  there  been  such  a 
thing  as  prose  literature  in  his  day:  so  too  the  philosophic 
poets  used  the  hexameter  verse  not  from  any  artistic  motive,  or 
to  adorn  their  thoughts,  but  simply  because  the  prose  treatise 
was  not  so  natural  a  mode  of  expression  to  them  as  the  familiar 
epic  metre. 

But  the  didactic  form  once  established,  it  lent  itself  naturally 
in  later  ages  to  imitation.  Just  as  there  were  literary  epics, 
imitating  the  form  of  Homer,  but  telling  the  story  for  a  purpose, 
(the  Aeneid,  the  Inferno,  the  Paradise  Lost)  so  the  primitive 
didactic  poem  of  Hesiod  or  the  philosophers  gave  rise  to 
the  literary  didactic  poem,  which  has  appeared  in  all  ages 
of  literary  revival.  Thus  for  example  the  artificial  literature 
which  the  Alexandrian  scholars  produced  contained  many 
didactic  poems,  such  as  the  astronomical  works  Phaenomena 
and  Diosemeia  of  Aratus,  (which  were  mere  metrical  renderings 
of  scientific  knowledge  derived  from  others)  or  the  works  on 
poisons,  venomous  beasts,  and  birds  by  Nicander.  These  two 
writers  lived  towards  the  beginning  of  the  third,  and  middle  of 
the  second  centuries  B.  C  respectively;  and  to  them  we  might 
add  the  scientific  poet  Eratosthenes,  about  the  middle  of 
the  third  century,  from  whom  Vergil  borrowed  some  of  his 
asironomical  ideas.     Similarly  in  our  own  so-called  Augiih>lan 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

age,  the  literary  revival  of  Queen  Anne's  reign,  there  sprang  up 
a  crop  of  didactic  poems  ;  of  which  the  best  and  most  famous 
was  Pope's  Essay  on  Man.  The  aim  of  all  these  was  rather 
to  achieve  finish  of  form  and  brilliance  of  execution  than  to 
communicate  or  expound  anything  serious. 

In  the  golden  age  of  Rome  there  were  three  didactic  poems 
written,  all  of  them  extremely  famous,  namely  Lucretius'  De 
rem  in  tiatura,  Vergil's  Georgics,  and  Horace's  Art  of  Poetry. 
The  last  was  written  after  Vergil's  death,  and  need  not  concern 
us  here  :  it  is  moreover  in  a  class  apart.  The  criticism  which 
forms  its  subject-matter  is  most  seriously  and  carefully  thought 
out :  the  form  belongs  more  to  what  we  call  vers  de  socidtS, 
full  of  point,  vigour,  vivacity  and  variety,  but  not  addressed 
like  serious  poetry  to  the  feelings  or  the  imagination.  On  the 
other  hand  Lucretius'  great  poem  amid  its  arid  stretches  of 
philosophic  argument  has  oases  of  the  most  sublime  and 
imaginative  poetry.  It  counts  for  so  much  among  the  de- 
termining conditions  of  the  Georgics  that  a  special  word  will 
be  said  about  the  relations  between  the  two  poets  below. 

It  is  at  any  rate  clear  enough  that  there  are  such  wide 
divergences  between  the  different  species  of  didactic  poems, 
that  the  name  'didactic'  tells  us  very  little  about  the  character 
of  a  work.  The  Georgics  differ  from  the  Works  and  Days 
in  being  a  real  work  of  art,  aiming  all  through  at  beauty  :  while 
Vergil,  if  he  was  not  quite  as  much  in  earnest  as  Hesiod  in  the 
precepts  he  gave,  at  any  rate  was  deeply  interested  in  rustic 
life.  On  the  oilier  hand,  as  compared  with  Lucretius,  while 
he  follows  him  in  aiming  at  genuine  poetry,  and  in  formulating 
serious  precepts,  he  addresses  himself  much  more  to  the  general 
reader,  and  not  (as  Lucretius  did)  to  the  student.  He  takes 
pains  by  selection  of  details,  by  episodes  (such  as  the  signs  of 
Caesar's  death,  i.  466;  the  praise  of  Italy,  ii.  136;  the  chariot 
race,  iii.  104  ;  the  plague,  iii.  478;  and  above  all  the  tale  of  Or- 
pheus and  Eurydice,  iv.),  and  by  rich  adornment  of  every  kind,  to 
make  tiic  poem  attractive  to  those  who  arc  not  specially  interested 
in  a.-riculturc.  lie  differs  again  from  the  Alexandrians  in  every 
way,  since  neither  their  precepts  nor  their  art  was  first  liand  : 


lo  INTRODUCTION. 

they  wrote  borrowed  facts  in  an  imitated  style.  And  he  difTcrs 
lastly  from  our  i)\vn  Au;^aistan  didactics,  inasmuch  as  their 
interest  was  almost  entirely  in  the  style,  the  subject-matter 
being  quite  secondary  and  usually  chosen  because  it  lent  itself 
to  epij^ram  and  finished  exposition.  In  one  word,  when  we 
call  the  Georgics  'a  didactic  poem'  we  must  bear  in  mind  that 
it  belongs,  for  all  its  imitation  of  Hesiod  and  Lucretius,  to 
a  unique  species. 

2.     Vergil  ajid  Lucretius. 

'The  influence'  says  Prof  Sellar  (Vergil,  p.  199)  'direct  and 
'indirect  exercised  by  Lucretius  on  the  thought, the  composition 
'and  the  style  of  the  Georgics  was  perhaps  stronger  than  that 
*  ever  exercised  before  or  since,  by  one  great  poet  on  the  work 
'of  another '. 

Without  going  fully  into  a  large  question,  we  may  note  some 
of  the  principal  causes  and  points  of  this  influence. 

(i)  Lucretius  was  the  first  great  poet  of  Rome  :  the  first 
who  had  used  the  Greek  Hexameter  metre  with  real  success,  so 
as  to  bring  out  its  power,  its  dignity  and  its  beauty  in  the  Latin 
language  ;  the  first  writer  of  genius,  combining  high  imagi- 
nation, poetic  sensibility,  deep  and  serious  thought,  originality 
and  insight ;  and  his  poem  appeared  when  Vergil  was  about  16, 
exactly  at  the  time  when  it  was  most  certain  to  impress  and 
inspire  a  gifted  boy,  with  equal  imagination  and  even  more 
poetic  power. 

(2)  Vergil's  temperament  as  revealed  in  his  poetry  was 
that  of  a  born  lover  of  nature,  delicate  and  imaginative  and 
with  exquisite  sensibility  to  beauty,  naturally  religious  and 
retired  and  meditative,  and  like  many  of  the  most  highly  gifted, 
with  an  'undertone'  of  melancholy.  Lucretius'  poem — dealing 
with  the  productiveness  of  nature,  the  vastness  of  the  universe, 
the  hard  struggle  of  life,  the  constant  pressure  and  imminence 
of  suffering  and  decay,  the  mystery  of  the  order  of  things,  the 
dark  destiny  of  man—  could  not  fail  to  leave  a  lasting  and 
profound  impression  on  him. 


TjYTR  on  UCTION.  1 1 

Thus  both  in  the  style  and  in  the  thought  there  was  every- 
thing to  make  Lucretius'  poem  produce  an  immense  effect  on 
the  younger  poet.  It  is  impossible  to  follow  out  this  effect  into 
detail ;  but  a  few  points  may  be  noticed. 

{a)  In  the  diction,  the  influence  is  found  everywhere 
in  the  Georgics.  The  passages  where  Vergil  directly  imitates  I 
have  collected  at  the  end  of  this  section  :  there  are  no  doubt 
many  more  where  a  subtle  or  unconscious  memory  of  Lucretius 
has  determined  the  choice  of  a  word  or  the  turn  of  a  phrase. 

{b)  In  the  metre  Vergil  no  doubt  made  a  gi-eat  advance 
on  all  his  predecessors :  but  it  was  Lucretius'  poem  which 
shewed  him  the  way,  which  lifted  him  to  a  point  whence  that 
advance  was  possible.  And  the  list  of  imitated  passages  will 
shew  that  the  rhythm  of  Lucretius,  with  its  dignity  and  beauty, 
still  inspired  some  of  the  best  of  Vergil's  verses. 

{c)  In  the  thoughts^  though  Vergil  was  not  a  philosopher 
and  though  he  by  no  means  either  accepted  all  Lucretius'  beliefs 
or  shared  all  the  feelings  which  resulted  from  them,  still  the 
Georgics  shew  many  deep  traces,  chiefly  in  the  earlier  boolcs. 

In  the  famous  passage  (ii.  475)  'Me  vero  primum  dulces 
ante  omnia  Musae  &c.'the  poet  plainly  declares  that  the  highest 
honour  and  delight  is  to  expound  in  poetry  all  the  secret  lore 
of  nature  :  and  that  the  task  he  had  set  himself,  to  describe  the 
country  life,  was,  though  a  happy  one,  still  second  to  the  other. 
Again  besides  his  general  reverence  for  his  master's  study  and 
doctrine,  we  have  special  traces  of  the  influence  :  in  his  feeling 
of  the  presence  of  Nature  as  a  great  and  universal  productive 
power  (ii.  9,  20,  47),  and  of  the  force  exercised  by  Love  over  all 
the  animals  as  well  as  over  Man  (iii.  242 — 284);  in  the  sense  of 
a  constant  need  for  struggle  on  the  part  of  man  (i.  155,200),  and 
the  number  of  counter-influences  that  thwart  his  labours  (i.  1 18) ; 
in  the  recognition  that  there  was  once  a  golden  age  when 
things  were  easier  and  earth  was  richer — an  age  which  is  past 
(i.  127);  even  in  some  special  doctrines  like  the  'hidden  pores 
ol  earth'  (i.  90),  or  the  materialist  explanation  of  the  birds' 
weather-signs  (i.  41 5)'   and  generally  in  his  poetic  ascription 


12 


INTKOD  UCTION. 


to   inanimate   things   of  feelings   and   tendencies   drawn  from 
man's  nature. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  the  magnificent  passage  at 
the  end  of  the  second  book  'Fehx  qui  potuit  rerum  cognosccre 
causas  &c.'  Vergil  intended  to  pay  a  direct  tribute  to  Lucretius, 
by  suggesting  that  the  latter's  work  was  the  highest  aim  and 
achievement  of  the  poet's  art  :  a  tribute  which  was  all  the 
greater  as  he  did  not  name  him,  seeing  that  no  other  identifi- 
cation was  possible. 

3.     List  0/  passages  imitated  from  Lucretius. 

Georg.  iii.     LUCR. 

10  i.  117  qui  primus  amaeno  detulit  ex  Helicone 

perenni  fronde  coronam. 
149  V.  33  asper  acerba  tuens. 

289  i.  922  [the  subject  is  hard:  but  I  have  a  deep 

love  of  Muses :  I  wish  to  approach 
the  spring  and  pluck  a  chaplet,  whence 
none  have  crowned  themselves  be- 
fore.] 

360  vi.  626  mollisque  luti  concrescere  crustas. 

361  vi.  551  ferratos  xoX.2iX\xm.  orbes. 

478  vi.  1138-1286     [Vergil  imitates  Lucretius'  powerful 

description     of     the     plague     at 
Athens.] 
520  ii.  361  [the  soft  willows  and  dewy  grass  and 

brimming  streams  cannot  delight  her.] 
Ceorg.  iv. 
223  i.  163  artnenta?ii(\uc7i\\iicpecttdes,getms  omne 

ferariun. 
472  iv.  35  siviulacraque  luce  carentum. 

499  iii.  455  ceu /t^f/i i/s  ift  ahas  aeris  auras. 

515  ii.  146  Wquidis /oca  vocihus  opp/e fit. 

And  the  following  phrases  : — 

miseris  mortalibus  (iii.  66),  nonne  vides  (iii.   103),  quod 
superest  (iv.  51),  genus  omne  animantum  (iii.  556). 

jfrom  Ribbeck] 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

4,     The  later  Georgics  and  Hotner. 

We  have  seen  that  the  form  of  the  Georgics,  as  originally 
conceived,  and  described  by  Vergil  himself,  was  an  imitation  of 
Hesiod  ;  and  that  the  spirit  was  largely  that  of  Lucretius.  The 
poetic  influence  of  Lucretius  is  however  decidedly  less  in  the 
two  last  books  than  in  the  two  first ;  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
powerful  description  of  the  plague  with  which  the  third  Georgic 
closes  is  modelled  on  the  elder  poet's  episode  on  the  pestilence 
of  Athens  at  the  end  of  the  sixth  book  de  reruin  natura.  Though 
to  the  end  Vergil's  debt  to  Lucretius  remains  very  deep,  the 
influence  of  the  latter  is  in  these  books  beginning  to  be  over- 
shadowed by  that  of  a  still  greater  poet  (or  poets),  which  in  the 
Aouid  becomes  primary.  Nothing  is  more  notable  than  the 
great  increase  in  these  later  Georgics  of  the  reminiscences  of 
Homer,  The  poet  who  began  the  Georgics  with  the  ambition  of 
*  Singing  the  song  of  Ascra  through  the  towns  of  Rome,'  ends  with 
a  long  episode  imitated,  and  even  largely  translated,  from  the 
Odyssey. 

In  the  section  on  the  execution  of  the  Georgics  below  (§  8) 
enough  is  said  about  the  attitude  of  Vergil  and  the  Augustans 
towards  Greek  literature;  and  nothing  is  more  natural  than  that 
the  two  greatest  of  all  Greek  poems,  in  spite  of  all  differences  of 
age,  manner,  subject,  and  diction,  should  begin  to  shew  the 
place  they  occupied  in  Vergil's  mind.  It  will  be  sufficient  here 
to  remark  that  it  is  chiefly  in  the  episodes,  similes,  and  other 
touches  inserted  to  adorn  and  vary  the  ostensible  subject  of  the 
Georgics,  that  these  memories  of  Homer  (naturally)  occur. 
Subjoined  is  a  list  of  the  principal  Homeric  parallels,  from 
Ribbeck  and  the  commentators. 

5.     Principal  Homeric  parallels. 
Geori^.  iii.      HOMER. 
106-1 1 1     //.  23.  360  &c.  [the   chariot    race]   'and   they   lifted 

their  whips  and  smote... and  swift 
they  sped  over  the  plain... and  now 
the  cars  ran  low  on  the  rich  earth, 
and  now  they  soared  into  the  air... 
the  dust  arose  beneath  them.' 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

Georg  iii.      Homer. 

172  //.  5.  83S         'the  beechen   axle  groaned  with  the 

wcitjht.' 
223  //.  15.  193       'and  earth... and  high  Olympus.' 

237  //.  4.  422         [ranks  move  like  a  storm  at  sea  aris- 

ing-] 
357  Od.  II.  15       *nor  does  the  bright  sun  ever  behold 

them  with  his  rays,  neither  when  he 
rises  to  the  starry  heaven,  nor  when 
he  sinks  from  heaven  back  to  earth.' 
Georg.  iv. 

261-263     //.  14.  394       '  neither  does  the  wave  of  the  sea  roar 

so  loud. ..nor  so  great  is  the  noise  of 
burning  fire, ...nor  does  the  wind  so 
murmur  in  the  high  oaks...' 

320  //.  I.  351         'and  many  a  prayer  to  his  mother  he 

prayed  with  outstretched  arms.' 

333  //.  18.  35         'and  his  mother  heard  him,  sitting  in 

the  depths  of  the  sea... and  the 
nymphs  gathered  around  her  &c....' 

361  Od.  II.  243     'and  the  dark  wave  stood  round  him 

like  a  mountain  bent  in  a  curve...' 

387  sqq.    Od.  4.  380  sqq.     [the  story  of  Proteus.] 

475  Od.  11.38       'brides     and    youths    and    wayworn 

elders,  and  tender  maidens  with 
hearts  new  to  sorrow,  and  many 
slain  with  bronze  spears,  warriors 
with  bloody  armour...' 

512  0^.16.216     'birds. ..whose  young  the  rustics  have 

taken  from  the  nest,  ere  ihey  were 
fledged...' 

514  Od.  19.  520     'the   nightingale. ..who   oft   changing 

pours  out  her  rich  song,bewailing  her 
child...' 
528  Od.  4.  570       '  So  speaking   he  dived   beneath  the 

billowy  sea.' 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

6.     The  sources  of  the  Georgics. 

We  have  discussed  briefly  the  influences  of  previous  writers 

on  Vergil  in  thought  and  style.     It  remains  to  enumerate  the 

main  sources  from  which  he  drew  his  knowledge ;    and  these 

may  be  conveniently  divided  into  prose  sources  and  poetical 

sources,  which  had  best  be  given   as  follows  in  chronological 

order. 

a.  Prose  :  i.  Greek. 

(i)  Xenophon  (about  444 — 357  B.C.)  in  his  Oecono7nics 
(ch.  16 — 19)  gives  a  short  discussion  on  the  nature  of  soils, 
ploughing,  fallows,  harrowing,  sowing,  preparing  grain,  and 
culture  of  trees.  These  hints  concern  only  Georgics  i  and 
2.  In  the  same  writer's  treatise  on  '  Horses'  there  are  one  or 
two  remarks  which  directly  or  indirectly  may  be  the  source  of 
passages  in  Georgic  3. 

(2)  Aristotle  (384 — 321  B.C.)  in  his  History  of  Animals 
is  evidently  the  authority  directly  for  some  of  Vergil's  state- 
ments about  the  generation  of  animals :  especially  about  boars 
(G.  iii.  255),  the  strange  superstition  of  marcs  being  vento 
gravidae  and  flying  north  and  south  (iii.  275),  the  hippommies 
(280)  and  the  importance  of  the  colour  of  the  ram's  tongue 
(388).     Also  some  superstitions  about  bees  (iv.  194,  200,  219). 

(3)  Theophrastus   (about  380—287   B.C.)  wrote  a  work 

on  I'.otany  which  is  still  extant,  and  which  Vergil  uses  in  the 

second  book. 

ii.  Latin. 

(4)  M.  Porcius  Cato  the  Censor  (234—139  B.C.)  is  the 
author  of  a  still  extant  treatise  on  agriculture  {de  AV  Riistica\ 
written  in  a  curiously  curt  and  unreadable  style.  In  the  later 
Georgics  Cato's  authority  is  chiefly  traceable  in  the  remarks  on 
sheep  and  goats  (iii.  387  sqq.)  and  the  treatment  of  the  scabies 
(440  sqq.). 

(5)  M.  Terentius  Varro  of  Rtafe  in  B.C.  37  publislicd 
at  the  age  of  80  an  itilcresting  work  in  llirce  Ijooks  with  the 


1 6  INTR  OD  UCTJON. 

saoie  title  as  Cato's,  de  Re  Rustica.  This,  for  all  the  Gcorgic;- 
and  especially  for  the  third  and  fourth  books,  is  far  the  most  iin 
portant  source  of  Vergil's  knowledge,  as  will  appear  from  the  brief 
analysis  given  below  ■  and  as  it  was  published  just  before  Vergil' 
began  to  write  his  Georgics,  it  may  very  likely  have  had  some 
influence,  with  Maecenas  or  the  poet  or  both,  in  determining 
the  choice  of  subject.  Varro  was  looked  up  to  as  a  great 
student  and  litterateur,  and  is  said  to  have  written  several 
hundred  books. 

In  the  third  Georgic,  the  precepts  on  the  following  points 
are  all  found  in,  and  many  obviously  borrowed  from,  Varro's 
second  book  :—  The  choice  of  cows  and  horses  for  breeding — 
the  feeding  of  brood  animals — their  treatment — the  food  and 
training  of  the  young,  both  cattle  and  horses — the  housing  and 
feeding  of  sheep  and  goats — the  use  of  goatskin — the  raising 
of  wool — dairy-farming — and  (very  briefly)  the  rearing  of 
dogs. 

In  the  fourth  Georgic,  the  following  points  for  the  bee-farmet 
are  from  Varro  : — the  origin  of  bees — their  domestic  economy — 
their  respect  for  their  queen  ('king') — the  treatment  of  drones — 
their  noises — the  cultivation  of  flowers  for  bees — the  best  site 
for  hives — the  attractions  for  bees — the  material  of  hives- 
fumigation — the  need  for  killing  one  queen  when  there  are  two 
— the  various  kinds  of  queens  and  workers — the  signs  of  disease 
— swarming,  and  how  to  direct  it — the  three  products,  wax,  bee- 
bread,  honey — stones  and  logs  in  the  water  near  hives — tht 
signs  of  swarming — the  use  of  'tinkling'  and  'dust-throwing'— 
the  rules  for  taking  comb — the  cutting  off  of  empty  comb — the 
battles  of  bees. 

This,  it  will  be  seen,  covers  nearly  the  whole  ground  of  whai 
is  really  didactic  in  these  books. 

b.     Poetical  sources. 

(6)  From  Hesiod  is  borrowed,  in  the  first  Georgic,  th( 
passage  about  lucky  and  unlucky  days,  the  instruction  to  'sov 
and  plough  stripped,'  and  various  phrases.    In  the  third  Georgi( 


INTRO  D  UCTION.  1 7 

the  only  reminiscence  of  Hesiod  is  a  short  passage  about  dogs 
(404  sqq.).     The  second  and  fourth  Georgia  owe  nothing. 

(7)  The  astronomical  passage  in  the  first  Georgic  (i.  233) 
is  in  substance  from  a  scientific  poem  in  Greek  hy  Eratosthenes^ 
mathematician  and  librarian  at  Alexandria  in  3rd  century  B.c 

(8)  The  Alexandrian  poet  Aratiis  (3rd  century  B.C.) 
wrote  on  Astronomy  in  Greek  {Phaenomena)  and  weather-signs 
{Dwsemeia),  which  supplied  Vergil  with  hints  for  the  passage 
(i.  351 — 463)  about  signs  of  storms  and  fair  weather,  drawn  from 
the  behaviour  of  birds  and  beasts  and  the  appearance  of  the  sun 
and  moon.  The  works  are  extant,  written  in  a  stiff  and  frigid 
style. 

(9)  Nicander  of  Colophon,  physician  and  poet  about  the 
middle  of  the  2nd  century  B.C.,  wrote  a  poem  in  Greek  on 
'poisonous  animals'  {Theriaca).  The  whole  passage  in  Georgic 
iii.  (414 — 439)  where  Vergil  treats  of  snakes,  is  based  on  Ni- 
cander. 

The  same  writer  also  wrote  Georgics,  and  a  poem  on  Bee- 
keeping (MfXto-o-oupyi/ca)  which  only  survive  in  fragments.  Both 
of  these  Vergil  doubtless  knew  and  probably  used  ;  and  the 
latter  may  have  supplied  many  points  for  the  fourth  Georgic. 

7.     Subject  and  purpose  of  the  poem. 

Vergil  himself  describes  his  subject  in  the  opening  lines  as 
being  the  tilling  of  the  land,  the  growing  of  vines,  the  breeding 
of  cattle,  and  bee-keeping.  These  four  headings  closely  corre- 
spond to  the  matter  of  the  four  books.  The  Georgics  then, 
(as  the  name  imports),  are  a  Manual  for  Farmers  in  verse  :  and 
this  ostensible  purpose  was  so  far  attained  that  the  poem  was 
referred  to  afterwards  (e.g.  by  Columella  the  son  of  a  Spanish 
farmer,  about  A.D.  i — 70,  who  wrote  a  comprehensive  treatise 
on  agriculture)  as  a  standard  work  on  the  subject ;  and  it  is 
plain  that  Vergil  was  really  interested  in  the  practical  details  of 
agriculture,  and  spoke  with  knowledge  not  only  derived  from 
books  but  also  from  personal  experience  of  country  life. 

But  it   docs   not   need   saying  that  his  purpose  went  much 

G.   III.  IV.  3 


1 8  INTRODUCTION. 

further  than  this.  Maecenas  (see  note  on  iii.  41)  himself  is  said 
to  have  suggested  to  the  poet  the  subject,  and  Maecenas'  interest 
in  it  would  naturally  be  twofold.  As  a  patron  of  literature  he 
desired  the  production  of  a  great  work  of  art :  and  as  minister 
of  Augustus  he  was  anxious  to  carry  out  the  emperor's  sincere 
and  wide  reaching  desire  of  restoring  a  national  spirit,  the  old 
feeling  of  Italian  unity  and  patriotism. 

That  the  young  poet  should  become  the  Hesiod  of  Rome  as 
he  had  already  become  (in  the  Eclogues)  the  Theocritus  :  that 
he  should  again  delight  his  readers  with  his  melodious  and 
imaginative  verse,  with  his  richly  stored  knowledge  of  the 
beauties  of  Greek  literature  skilfully  worked  in,  imitated,  sug- 
gested, in  his  finished  and  pregnant  style  :  that  he  should  bring 
to  bear  his  deep  love  for  the  country,  his  practical  knowledge, 
his  poetic  observation  of  nature,  upon  such  a  work  : — 

And  again,  that  he  should  do  something — if  not  to  convert 
men  from  politics  and  plots,  from  luxury  and  vice — at  any  rate 
to  turn  their  thoughts  to  purer  sources  of  pleasure  ;  to  remind 
them  of  the  ancient  love  of  Romans  for  the  land,  of  the  old 
farmer-heroes  who  went  from  the  plough  to  command  an  army  ; 
to  sing  the  praise  of  Italy  in  memorable  verse,  to  give  a  new 
stimulus,  of  a  sincere  and  profound  character,  to  the  reviving 
patriotism  ;  and  thus  to  promote  the  hopefulness  and  gratitude 
and  salutary  enthusiasm  with  which  men  were  beginning  to  hail 
the  Augustan  era  ; — 

If  such  were  the  hopes  that  prompted  Maecenas  when  he 
urged  Vergil  to  write  the  Georgics,  they  were  not  unreasonable 
in  view  of  the  times,  and  in  view  of  what  the  poet  had  already 
done  :  and  certainly  as  far  as  poetical  achievement  went  they 
were  more  than  fulfilled. 

8.     The  executio7i  of  the  poem  ^ 

Many  critics  are  of  opinion  that  in  the  Aeneid  Vergil  had 
set  himself  an  impossible  task,  while  in  the  Georgics  he  had  a 

'  For  some  points  in  this  section  I  am  indebted  10  Mr  [.  II.  Skrine's 
preface  to  his  edition  of  Georgic  11.  :  a  preface  written  willi  taste  and 
insight,  and  with  many  happy  illustrations. 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

subject  exactly  suited  to  his  gifts.  Without  entering  on  such 
sweeping  judgments — which,  in  the  case  of  rare  works  of  genius 
are  generally  misleading  and  superficial — we  may  at  least  agree 
that  the  Georgics  is  a  most  striking  and  beautiful  poem  on 
what  appears  at  first  sight  a  rather  unpromising  subject.  It  is 
worth  while  to  try  and  understand,  in  however  rough  and 
general  a  way,  what  are  the  qualities  of  workmanship  that  have 
made  the  'manual  for  farmers'  into  a  poem  that  has  given 
delight  to  all  readers  for  1900  years. 

The  result  is  due  partly  to  the  art  and  partly  to  the  spirit 
of  the  poet.  Of  course  these  two  things  are  closely  con- 
nected, and  it  is  not  possible  really  to  distinguish  completely 
between  them :  but  we  may  be  allowed  to  consider  some  aspects 
of  each  separately,  and  it  will  perhaps  tend  to  clearness  to 
do  so. 

In  considering  the  art  of  the  Georgics  the  first  thing  we 
have  to  remember  is  that  the  Augustan  literature  owes  its  in- 
spiration mainly  to  Greek.  Horace's  aim  is  to  be  the  Roman 
Alcaeus  and  Sappho  :  Ovid  devotes  himself  to  naturalising  in 
Italy  the  Greek  Elegiac  metre  :  Propertius  makes  Callimachus 
his  model :  and  Vergil  announces  himself  in  the  Georgics  as 
'singing  the  song  of  Ascra  (Hesiod's  birthplace)  through  the 
Roman  towns.'  But  it  is  not  merely  that  the  general  form  of 
the  poem  is  suggested  by  Greek ;  nor  that  the  subject  and  metre 
are  borrowed  from  Hesiod  ;  far  more  important  is  the  taste 
of  literary  association  with  which  the  workmanship  abounds. 
Both  the  poet  and  those  for  whom  he  wrote  were  possessed  with 
the  greatness  and  beauty  of  Greek  literature  ;  and  the  poem  at 
every  turn  is  intended  to  remind  them  of  it.  Sometimes  this  is 
done  with  a  mere  epithet;  the  'Chaonian'  acorn,  the  'Lethean' 
poppy,  the  'Acheloian'  cups  of  water,  the  'Paphian'  myrtle, 
'Amyclaean'  clogs,  'Cretan'  quiver,  the  'Idaean'  pitch,  'Cecro- 
pian'  bees.  More  often  a  passing  allusion  or  phrase  touches 
some  part  of  the  rich  and  picturesque  Greek  mythology  :  'The 
wagons  of  the  Elcusinian  mother'  (reminding  us  of  the  tales  of 
Demeter,  the  mysteries  of  Kleusis,  the  Aliienian  processions  to 
the  temple  of  Artemis  &c.);    The  'prizes  of  wit  which  the  sonj 

2 — 2 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

of  Theseus  ordained'  (reminding  us  of  the  worship  of  Dionysus 
and  all  llie  glories  of  the  Athenian  stage).  'Till  the  Atlantidcs 
be  hidden'  (the  story  of  the  Pleiads);  'The  Olympian  palm,' 
(reminding  us  of  the  great  gathering  of  Greece  at  Elis  for  the 
five-year  festival):  the  power  of  love  on  man  to  make  him  'swim 
the  dark  straits  at  midnight'  (referring  to  the  beautiful  tale  of 
Hero  and  Leander) ;  and  similar  reference  in  other  places  to 
Ariadne,  Alcyone,  Scylla,  Hylas,  Chiron,  Parnasus,  &c.  Or 
again  common  things  are  beautified  with  a  more  direct  literary 
reference  :  if  the  poet  mentions  waierbirds^  they  'sport  round 
Caysuian  pools,  in  the  Asian  meads' :  an  orchard  reminds  him 
of  the  'groves  of  Alcinous' ;  the  lightning  strikes  'Athos  or 
Rhodope  or  the  Ceraunian  rocks';  the  wrecked  sailor  vows  'to 
Glaucus  and  Panopea  and  Melicerta  son  of  Ino';  the  gadjly 
suggests  the  tale  of  Juno's  jealousy ;  the  horse  reminds  him  ot 
Epidaurus,  Elis,  the  Homeric  tale  of  the  horses  of  Achilles  and 
Pollux,  Erechtheus  the  inventor  of  cars,  and  the  Lapithae  of  the 
saddle;  white  wool  is  'such  a  gift  as  that  wherewith  Pan 
beguiled  Luna' ;  and  last  but  not  least  a  mysterious  disease 
among  bees  gives  occasion  for  the  bodily  transference  into 
Vergil's  poetry  of  the  charming  sea-fairy-tale  of  Proteus  from 
the  Odyssey. 

Again  quite  apart  from  the  rich  literary  associations,  Vergil 
has  notably  the  power  of  picturesque  suggestiveness  ;  often  all 
the  more  effective  that  the  suggestion  is  given  in  a  word.  To 
take  examples  from  the  earlier  books  : — He  is  speaking  of  spices, 
and  we  see  molles  Sabaei,  'unwarlike  Arabs';  of  iron,  and  we 
see  7iudi  chalybes  'the  stripped  forgers':  the  pine  tree  is 
'doomed  to  witness  the  perils  of  the  sea':  the  rich  harvest  is 
'drawn  home  by  tired  heifers':  the  evening  and  morning  sky 
suggest  a  crop  of  pictures,  'the  timeless  night,'  the  'Bears  fear- 
ing to  be  dipped  in  Ocean,'  the  '  Dawn's  panting  steeds,'  '  the 
turning  poles,'  &c.  So  in  books  iii.  and  iv.  :  when  he  has  to  say 
'summer' he  says 'when  the  floor  groans  with  heavy  blows  upon 
the  grain,  and  empty  chaff  is  tossed  to  the  rising  Zephyr' :  the 
heat  of  noon  is  '  when  sorrowing  crickets  crack  the  bushes  with 
their  song':   the  evening  is  the  time  when  'the   dewy  moon 


INTRODUCTION.  21 

frcslioir;  the  ghidcs,  the  shores  echo  to  the  kingfisher,  the  brakes 
to  the  warbler.'  Indeed  the  whole  poem  is  alive  with  such 
pictures. 

Another  common  note  of  Vergil's  poetic'  art  is  connected  with 
his  deep  love  of  nature,  namely  the  touches  of  personification 
which  abound  in  the  poem.  Of  course  the  tendency  is  by  no 
means  peculiar  to  Vergil,  but  is  found  in  all  poetry  :  in  other 
poets  however  it  is  often  frigid,  or  artificial,  or  overloaded, 
whereas  the  particular  merit  of  Vergil  is  that  his  touch  is  so 
light  and  graceful  in  these  personifications.  Thus  in  the  earlier 
books  the  frozen  land  is  '  hard  with  Boreas'  breath ' :  the  seeds 
are  'due  to  the  furrows':  the  South  wind  'broods,'  the  moon's 
'virgin  face  flushes,'  the  Sun  'none  can  call  false':  the  apples 
*  feel  their  strength,'  the  poor  vine  is  *  ashamed  of  her  clusters,' 
the  graft  shoots  'know  not  their  mother,'  the  buds  'are  taught,' 
the  tree  'wonders  at  her  new  leaves,'  the  vines  in  the  winter 
'  put  by  the  pruning  hook,'  the  '  stealthy  fire  escapes  to  the 
upper  leaves  and  reigns  a  conqueror,'  the  'beasts  are  sent  into 
the  forests  and  stars  into  the  sky^  So  in  books  iii.  and  iv., 
rivers  are  'rapacious,'  the  myrtles  'love  the  shore,'  winter  'reins 
in  the  streams  with  frost,'  the  narcissus  'weeps,'  the  river  Po 
has  'bull's  head  with  gilded  horns,'  and  the  mountains  are 
'  widowed  of  their  snow.' 

Further,  in  the  third  and  fourth  books,  where  the  subjects 
(breeding  and  bee-keeping)  might  seem  a  little  too  dry  or  narrow 
for  sustained  poetic  interest,  he  begins  more  largely  to  use 
other  attractions,  the  episodes  and  the  similes.  Thus  we  have  in 
the  third  book,  the  episodes  of  the  horse  race  (with  a  Homeric 
memory) ;  the  battle  between  the  bulls,  written  with  a  singularly 
delicate  and  even  pathetic  sympathy  ;  and  the  fine  passage  on 
the  power  of  love  over  all  creation.  The  great  episode  at  the  end 
of  book  iii.,  the  account  of  the  unknown  plague  (imitated  from 
Lucretius)  is  a  fine  example  of  Vergil's  power  in  describing  dark 
and  even  horrible  things,  which  is  perhaps  hardly  to  modern 
taste,  though  the  unpleasantness  is  more  than  redeemed  by  the 
force.  But  nothing  in  all  the  (icorgics,  and  few  things  in  any 
poetry,  can  be  put  above  the  beautiful  episode  at  the  end  of 


22  JNTR  OD  UCTION. 

book  iv.  containing  the  story  of  Orpheus  and  Euryclice.  Alien 
as  this  is  from  the  subject  of  the  Georgics'  and  strained  and 
even  crude  as  is  the  attempt  to  make  it  relevant,  for  music  and 
patjios  and  pure  poetic  beauty  it  remains  unsurpassed. 

Again  in  the  similes,  which  are  in  themselves  mostly  simple 
and  obvious,  the  poet  has  opportunity  of  raising  direct  memories 
of  Homer,  which  he  always  delighted  to  do  :  and  the  passages 
are  (with  one  striking  exception  iii.  97)  beautiful  or  effective 
pictures  which  must  help  to  relieve  and  adorn  the  less  interest- 
ing parts  of  the  agricultural  doctrine. 

These  are  some  of  the  most  prominent  points  of  Vergil's 
art,  and  most  easily  capable  of  being  illustrated.  But  of  course 
the  real  effect  of  the  poem  depends  more  on  points  which 
escape  analysis  :  on  the  fitness  of  his  diction,  the  vividness 
of  the  pictures,  the  melody,  the  imaginativeness,  the  variety, 
the  delicacy,  the  impressiveness,  the  grace,  of  his  phrases  and 
lines.  Towards  the  appreciation  of  these  things,  some  aid 
may  be  found  in  the  notes  and  index  to  these  books  :  but  in 
the  main  it  must  be  left  to  each  reader's  ear  and  taste  and 
sensibility. 

A  few  words  should  however  be  said,  secondly,  about  the 
spirit  of  the  Georgics,  which  has  even  more  to  do  with  their 
permanent  effect  than  the  style.  The  most  obvious  point  is 
the  poet's  love  for  the  country.  Vergil  has  been  called  '  the 
Rustic'*  of  Genius,'  and  one  of  his  strongest  and  deepest 
feelings  was  a  love  for  country  life;  not  merely  its  scenery  but 
all  its  sights  and  sounds;  the  sky,  the  woods,  the  rivers,  lakes 
and  hills,  the  fields,  the  trees  and  flowers,  the  animals  down  to 
the  very  insects,  the  heavenly  bodies,  the  storms  and  winds  and 

'  There  is  an  old  story  of  dubious  autliority,  though  accepted  by  most 
commentators,  that  the  Georgics  originally  ended  with  a  panegyric  on 
C.  Cornelius  Gallus,  a  great  friend  of  the  poet's,  who  had  helped 
Augustus  in  subjugating  Egypt  :  but  that  when  Gallus  fell  under  the 
Emperor's  displeasure  for  too  great  independence  and  arrogance  in  his 
administration  of  Egypt,  Vergil  changed  the  end  of  the  fourth  Georgic, 
and  introduced  the  episode  of  Aristaeus. 

*  Mr  \ .  Myers  in  his  striking  essay  on  Vergil,  p.  126. 


TNTR  on  UCTIOi\^.  5  j 

calms,  the  chani^cs  of  the  day  and  seasons,  the  varied  and 
healthy  labour,  the  simple  and  honest  and  hardy  men  and 
women  who  lived  and  died  amongst  these  things.  This  pro- 
found feeling  finds  vent  in  the  beautiful  eulogy  on  rustic  life 
in  the  second  book 

At  secura  quies  et  nescia  fallerc  vita,  &c.      (ii.  467), 

in  the  splendid  and  passionate  outburst 

...o  ubi  campi 
Spercheosque  et  virginibus  bacchata  Lacaenis,  &c. 

(ii.  486). 

and  is  closely  bound  up  with  Vergil's  deep  home-love  for  the 
Mantuan  country  and  his  ideal  patriotism  for  the  *  Saturnia 
tellus'  which  inspire  the  glowing  panegyric  on  Italy  in  the 
beginning  of  the  same  book  (ii.  136 — 176).  But  it  appears  no 
less  in  numerous  little  touches  all  through  the  poem.  It  is 
shewn  for  instance  in  his  special  choice  of  the  words  felix  and 
Inetus  for  plants  and  trees,  the  opening  phrase  quid  facial 
laetas  segetes  striking  the  keynote  :  in  his  loving  description  of 
beautiful  sights,  such  as  the  incomparable  lines  on  the  flowering 
walnut 

Contemplator  item  cum  se  nux  plurima  silvis 
induet  in  florem  et  ramos  curvabit  olentcs  : 

or  the  soft  retreat  of  the  pregnant  cows 

saltibus  in  vacuis  pascunt  et  plena  secundum 
flumina,  muscus  ubi  et  viridissima  gramine  ripa, 
speluncacque  tcgant  et  saxca  procubet  umbra 

in  sympathetic  descriptions  of  animals — the  horse  which  loves 
soothing  words  and  the  pat  upon  his  neck  (iii.  185),  the  sorrow- 
ing humiliation  of  the  defeated  bull  (iii.  225),  the  power  of  love 
on  all  the  animals  (iii.  242),  the  beautiful  bird  notes  (iii.  338), 
and  all  through  book  iv.  in  his  treatment  of  the  work,  the  feel- 
ings, the  troubles,  the  delights  of  the  bees  ;  in  little  touches  of 
accurate  painting,  such  as  the  willow  {glauca  canentia  fronde)^ 
the  bean  {siliqtia  quassanie),  and  the  signs  of  storm  and  tine 


24  INTRODUCTION. 

weallicr  in  the  first  book,  or  the  horse's  elastic  step  {iiiellia  crura 
riponunt),  the  Hzard  {picti  sqitalcniia  terga  lacerti),  the  cucumber 
or  gourd  {torlusque  per  herbnui  cresceret  itt  ventrem  ct/ctiniis), 
in  the  third  and  fourth  ;  in  the  lovely  passage  about  the  birth  of 
spring  (ii.  325)  when  all  things  bear  and  '  Heaven  descends  in 
fruitful  rain  into  the  bosom  of  his  glad  bride';  in  the  vivid  paint- 
ing of  shepherd  life  in  Africa  and  in  the  cold  north  (iii.  350) ; 
and  in  passing  phrases  like  divini  gloria  niris,  tantus  amor 
terrat.,  flumina  afnem  silvasqiie,  and  at  liquidi  fontes  et  stagjia 
virentia  musco. 

Still  more  important,  perhaps,  and  quite  as  deep-lying  is  the 
poet's  feeling  of  the  beauty  and  dignity  0/  labour.  The  sadness 
of  human  life  is  likewise  a  constant  feeling  of  Vergil's,  but  it  is 
more  apparent  in  his  later  work,  the  Aeneid;  in  the  Georgics 
labour  is  represented  rather  as  a  bountiful  provision  of  the 
gods,  a  sound  and  permanent  source  of  happiness.  Thus 
although  in  the  golden  age  all  was  ease  and  abundance  (i.  128), 
yet  the  need  which  gave  rise  to  labour  was  in  the  end  beneficial : 
' The /a/'/^(?r  himself  willed  it' (121);  he  would  not  have 'sloth 
and  torpor'  (124);  the  change  produced  various  inventions 
(135)  and  all  the  arts  of  life  (145).  Though  the  farmer's  toil  is 
never  ending  {redit  labor  actus  in  orbem),  still  his  life  is 
supremely  happy,  * o  fortunati nimium. ..ngricolae.'  The  dignity 
of  this  toil  is  suggested  by  the  constant  use  of  words  meaning 
conquest;  imperat  arvis,  subactis  scrobibus,  cogere,  domare,  Sec. 
In  the  same  spirit  we  have  a  con  amore  description  of  the  busy 
variety  of  life  on  wet  days  (i.  260) ;  of  the  wife  singing  at  her 
loom  (i.  290);  of  the  poet's  visit  to  the  garden  of  the  old  man  of 
Corycus  (iv.  132)  whose  happiness  'matched  the  wealth  of 
kings';  in  the  same  spirit  again  is  the  playful  energy  of  the 
simile  which  depicts  the  farmer  like  the  soldier /!«r//;/i,'- his  seed, 
grappling  the  land,  laying  low  the  heaps  (i.  104),  and  most 
notable  of  all,  the  passage  at  the  end  of  book  ii.  where  he 
contrasts  the  delight  of  the  ceaseless  labour  of  the  husbandman 
witli  the  vain  or  disastrous  energies  of  the  courtier,  the  soldier, 
the  merchant,  the  orator,  the  statesman  or  the  conqueror  (ii, 
501  sqq.). 


INTRODUCTION.  25 

Another  point  (quite  as  significant,  though  less  noticeable  at 
first  sight)  which  shews  the  poet's  delight  in  his  subject  is  the 
constant  emergence  in  the  Georgics  of  what  we  may  call  a 
spirit  of  playfulness.  Vergil's  delicate  and  '  finely  touched 
spirit'  inclined  rather  to  pathos  and  to  seriousness,  and  in  the 
whole  Aeneid  we  have  hardly  the  least  sparkle  of  humour, 
(though  in  the  Iliad  there  is  no  lack  of  it  and  in  the  Odyssey 
it  abounds) :  but  in  this  poem  his  love  of  the  country  life,  and 
its  objects  and  details,  not  unfrequently  finds  expression  in  a 
certain  gaiety  of  thought  or  phrase  which  conveys  to  the  reader 
a  sense  of  his  pleasure  in  the  scenes  he  describes.  Sometimes 
it  is  the  playfulness  of  exaggeration:  the  'rustling  forest'  of 
the  lupine,  the  comparison  (mentioned  above)  of  the  farmer's 
energy  to  a  battle,  the  'homes  and  garner'  of  the  mouse,  the 
weevil '  sacking' the  cornbin,  the  ant's  'needy  old  age':  some- 
times an  amusing  picture  or  turn  of  phrase,  as  the  'tiresome' 
goose  {tinprobus),  the  sceleratujii  frigus,  the  raven  who  '  stalks 
solitary  on  the  scorched  sand,'  the  tufa  and  chalk  which  '  claim 
that  no  other  soil  breeds  snakes  so  well.'  This  playfulness  is 
found  also  in  the  third  book,  as  when  he  speaks  of  there  being 
*no  limit'  to  a  good  cow's  length,  of  the  horse's  'grief  at  losing 
and  'pride'  at  winning  a  race,  of  'exhorting'  the  young  calves 
while  '  their  mind  is  pliant '  [dicm  faciles  animt),  or  of  the 
defeated  bull  who  recovers  his  spirit  and  '  breaks  camp '  (signa 
movef)  against  the  foe.  But  far  most  remarkably  of  all  is  this 
playfulness  shewn  in  the  fourth  book,  when  treating  of  the  bees. 
He  describes  in  a  sustained  vein  of  humorous  solemnity  their 
whole  system,  social,  industrial,  military,  and  political.  Thus 
the  common  bees  are  'the  youth'  or  the  'quirites':  the  queens 
arc  'kings,'  'high  souled  leaders,'  who  'reign,'  and  are  revered 
with  more  than  Oriental  loyalty:  the  hive  is  their  'city,'  their 
'country,'  their  'penates':  when  the  bees  get  a  wetting,  it  is 
'Eurus  plunges  them  in  Neptune':  when  they  do  their  allotted 
tasks  they  'obey  the  mighty  laws'  or  act  up  to  the  'sure  tn-aty 
bond':  when  they  go  out  to  drink  'they  draw  water  under  thv' 
city  walls':  the  drones  'do  not  share  the  public  burdens' 
{itnmunes)   and    must   be   slain :     ihcy    have   a   '  long    line   of 


26  INTRODUCTION. 

ancestry'  and  tlic  'fortune  of  their  house  stands  sure';  and 
when  they  fight  'they  make  ready  their  arms,'  'challenj^c  the 
foe,'  'rouse  the  courage  of  the  common  men'  {volgi),  blow  the 
'martial  trump,'  'form  close  about  {stipaiit)  the  king,'  and  'tear 
the  standards  from  the  camp.'  And  lastly  we  are  told:  '■these 
fiery  passions  and  fierce  combats  the  sprinkling  of  a  Utile  dust 
controls  and  stilish 

But  besides  the  poet's  love  for  the  country,  and  his  strong 
conviction  of  the  happiness  and  dignity  of  labour,  there  are  in 
the  Georgics  two  other  feelings  closely  blended  together  which 
furnish  perhaps  as  much  inspiration  to  this  poem  as  the  others. 
These  are  (i)  the  patriotic  fueling  :  the  love  of  Italy  as  a  land 
of  great  heroes,  and  a  glorious  history,  now  after  a  centuiy  of 
discord  united  under  a  strong  and  wise  ruler,  and  with  a  new 
era  of  peace  and  greatness  opening  upon  it :  and  (2)  the  moral 
feeling ;  that  the  country  life  of  the  past,  with  its  simplicity, 
its  healthy  labour,  its  home  affections  and  purity,  its  hardiness, 
and  its  freedom  from  pettiness  of  spirit  and  degrading  luxury 
and  noxious  cares,  was  the  true  school  of  that  manliness,  energy 
and  worth,  which  had  made  Rome  great. 

As  to  the  first,  the  patriotic  feeling,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  Vergil  was  deeply  imbued  with  it  ;  it  is  the  inspiration 
more  than  any  other  single  sentiment  of  the  whole  Aeneid,  and 
particularly  of  the  grand  catalogue  of  Rome's  worthies  which 
is  the  climax  of  the  sixth  book.  If  Italy  was  tnagna  parens 
frngtim  (ii.  173)  she  was  no  less  magna  virum ;  and  the  'Decii, 
Mani,  and  great  Camilli,  and  Scipios  hardy  in  war'  (169)  are 
no  less  present  to  the  poet's  mind  in  writing  the  Georgics  than 
when  later  he  is  marshalling  in  one  grand  vision  the  procession 
of  heroes  which  makes  the  history  of  Rome.  This  is  the  spirit 
which  animates  the  majestic  vision  of  triumph  at  the  opening  of 
the  third  Georgic  (22 — 32),  where  the  poet's  enthusiasm  is  made 
all  the  more  noticeable  by  the  very  difficulty  (see  notes)  of 
fitting  his  large  phrases  to  the  facts.  The  strength  of  this 
feeling  too  must  excuse,  if  anything  can  excuse,  the  turgid 
though  stately  flattery  of  Augustus  with  which  the  Georgics  open. 
It  seems  incongruous  to  us  that  a  serious  poet  should  be  guilty 


INTRODUCTION.  27 

of  such  flattery  :  that  he  should  gravely  speak  of  'Tethys 
buying  Augustus  to  be  her  daughter's  husband  with  the  dowry 
of  all  her  waves,'  or  the  'Scorpion  drawing  back  his  claws' 
to  make  room  for  the  emperor  as  a  1 3th  Zodiac-sign  ;  but  we 
must  in  fairness  remember,  not  only  the  usual  conventions  of 
courts  and  court-poetry,  but  the  real  enthusiasm  for  the  new 
era  which  the  poets,  as  well  as  everyone  else  at  the  time, 
undoubtedly  felt.  'The  good  time  was  come':  and  we  who 
know  how  largely  their  hopes  were  disappointed,  must  make 
allowance  for  the  exaggeration  which  was  natural  when  such 
hopes  were  nearly  universal. 

As  to  the  second,  the  moral  feeling,  it  was  both  in  the  main 
true  and  sound,  and  it  was  peculiarly  natural  to  a  poet  of 
Vergil's  sensitive  and  meditative  spirit,  brought  up  in  the 
country,  and  plunged  into  the  tumult,  not  merely  of  town  life, 
but  court  life  in  the  capital.  The  splendours,  the  luxuries,  the 
pleasures  of  his  new  life  did  not  attract  him  :  they  only  made 
him  value  more  highly  the  beauty,  the  spiritual  rest,  the  healthy 
energies  of  the  country.  It  was  the  latter,  he  felt,  which  pro- 
duced the  'brave  race  of  men,  the  Marsians  and  the  Sabines'  :  it 
was  in  the  country  that  there  grew  up  'the  youth  enduring  of 
toil  and  inured  to  scanty  fare' :  it  was  there  that  'gods  were 
worshipped  and  age  held  in  honour':  and  there  'Justice  as  slie 
left  the  earth  set  her  last  footsteps.'  The  genuineness  of  Vergil's 
feeling  is  strikingly  discerned  if  we  compare  him  with  his  most 
gifted  contemporary,  Horace.  There  is  an  unmistakeable  ring  of 
satire'  in  Vergil's  description  of  the  busy  and  dazzling  town  life  : 
the  crowds  of  callers,  the  marble  pillars,  the  robes  mocked  with 
gold,  the  statues  from  Corinth,  the  wool  stained  with  Assyrian 
poison,  the  clear  olive-oil  drugged  with  casia  :  his  spirit  longed 
for  what  was  simpler  and  purer.     Horace  too  denounces  wealth  : 

*  In  book  iii.  526  there  is  a  significant  and  characteristic  touch  of  tlie 
same  spirit.  lie  describes  the  dying  ox,  and  says  'Of  what  avail  now 
are  his  toll  and  service  ?  what,  that  he  has  turned  the  heavy  earth  with 
the  (ilough  ?  And  yet  they  never  knew  the  baneful  Mnssic  wine  or  feasts 
twice  replenished \  on  leaves  and  simple  grass  they  fare,  and  liear  springs 
are  their  cups,  <tc. 


28  INTR  on  UCTTON. 

he  too  speaks  of  the  simplicity  'of  Romuhis  and  the  unshorn 
Cato,'  praises  the  'manly  race  of  rustic  warriors  taught  to  turn 
the  sod  with  Sabine  spades,'  compares  the  modern  Romans 
unfavourably  with  'Scythians  of  the  plain  and  Getae'  who  live 
virtuously.  But  these  moral  sayings  of  the  younger  poet  do 
not  ring  so  true.  They  come  few  and  far  between  amid  in- 
vitations to  dinner,  eulogies  on  choice  vintages,  warnings  to 
seize  the  passing  hour  for  life  is  short,  gloating  memories  of 
past  enjoyments,  and  countless  odes  to  Chloe,  Lyce,  Neaera, 
Lydia,  Glycera,  and  the  rest  of  them.  To  Horace  the  country 
meant  his  Sabine  estate,  or  summer  retreat  on  the  bay  of 
Naples,  a  place  of  enjoyment  :  to  Vergil  it  was  a  natural  home, 
the  abode  of  beauty  and  pure  delight,  and  of  healthy  toil,  and 
virtue. 

9.     Outline  of  VergiVs  life. 

P.  Vergilius  Maro  was  born  15  Oct.,  B.C  70,  near  Mantua, 
a  town  on  the  Mincio  in  North  Italy,  then  called  Cisalpine 
Gaul.  He  had  not  good  health,  and  after  being  educated  at 
Cremona  and  Mediolanum  {Milan),  and  studying  Greek  and 
philosophy  elsewhere,  he  came  back  to  live  (probably)  on  his 
father's  farm,  until  about  B.C.  42.  In  that  year  Octavianus, 
afterwards  the  emperor  Augustus,  had  defeated  at  Philippi 
Brutus  and  Cassius,  the  murderers  of  JuHus  Caesar ;  and  gave 
lands  to  his  victorious  soldiers  in  various  part  of  Italy, 
amongst  other  assignments  being  Vergil's  farm.  The  poet's 
first  acquaintance  with  Augustus  was  due  to  this  event ;  for  he 
applied  to  him  at  Rome  for  the  restitution  of  his  property,  and 
was  successful.  He  became  the  friend  of  the  rich  art-patron 
Maecenas,  the  poet  Horace,  and  the  brilliant  circle  of  literary 
men  who  were  collected  at  the  court  of  Augustus.  The  works 
of  Vergil  are  not  voluminous.  The  Eclogues  are  Idylls  in  imi- 
tation of  the  Greek  poet  Theocritus,  and  were  written  sometime 
before  he  was  33.  The  Georgics,  an  agricultural  poem  in  four 
books,  of  which  the  form  was  more  or  less  suggested  by 
Hesiod,  he  wrote  in  the  next  few  years,  finishing  them  sometime 


INTRODUCTION.  29 

about  his  40th  year.  The  Aeneid,  his  great  work,  he  appears 
to  have  begun  about  B.C.  27,  when  he  was  43  years  of  age,  at 
the  wish  of  Augustus.  A  few  years  later,  finding  his  health 
failing,  he  tried  travelling ;  and  in  the  spring  of  19  he  was  at 
Athens.  The  summer  he  spent  with  Augustus  abroad,  but  died 
a  few  days  after  reaching  Brundusium  on  his  return.  The  day 
of  his  death  was  Sept.  22,  and  he  was  not  quite  51.  He  was 
buried  at  Naples,  where  his  tomb  is  still  shewn,  though  the 
authenticity  of  it  is  at  least  doubtful. 

His  character  seems  to  have  been  most  simple,  pure,  and 
loveable  ;  and  his  poetic  fame  was  well  established  even  before 
his  death. 


p.   VERGILI    MARONIS. 

GEORGICON 

LIBER   TERTIUS. 


Te  quoque,  magna  Pales,  et  te  memorande  canemus 

Pastor  ab  Amphryso,  vos,  silvae  amnesque  LycaeL 

Cetera,  quae  vacuas  tenuissent  carmine  mente~s, 

Omnia  iam  volgata :   quis  aut  Eurysthea  durum, 

Aut  inlaudati  nescit  Busiridis  aras?  5 

Cui  non  dictus  Hylas  puer,  et  Latonia  Delos, 

Hippodameque,  umero<jue  Pelops  insignis  eburno, 

Acer  equis  ?   temptanda  via  est,  qua  me  quoque  possim 

Tollere  humo  victorque  virum  volitare  per  ora. 

Primus  ego  in  patriam  mecum,  modo  vita  supersit,        10 

Aonio  rediens  deducam  vertice  Musas ; 

Primus  Idumaeas  referam  tibi,  Mantua,  palmas 

Et  viridi  in  campo  templum  de  marmore  ponam 

Propter  aquam,  tardis  ingens  ubi  flcxibus  errat 

Mincius  et  tenera  jjraetexit  harundine  ripas.  15 

In  medio  mihi  Caesar  erit  tcmplumque  tenebit 

Illi  victor  ego  et  Tyrio  conspectus  in  ostro 

Centum  quadriiugos  agitabo  ad  flumina  currus. 

Cuncta  mihi  Alpheum  linquens  lucosque  Molorchi 

Cursibus  et  crudo  dccernet  Graccia  cacstu.  '  20 

Ipse  caput  tonsae  foliis  ornatus  olivae 

Dona  feram.     Iam  nunc  sollemnes  ducere  potnpas 

Ad  delubra  iuvat  caesosquc  videre  iuvcncos; 

Vel  scaena  ut  vcrsis  disccdat  lVonlil)Us,   ul(|ue 

Purpurea  intexti  tollant  aulaea  IJritanni.  25 


32  F.  VERGILI  MARONIS  _ 

In  foribus  pugnam  ex  auro  solidoque  elephanto 
Gangaridum  faciam  victorisque  arma  Quirini, 
Atque  hie  undantem  bello  raagnumque  fluentem 
Nilum,  ac  navali  surgentes  aere  columnas. 
Addam  urbes  Asiae  domitas  pulsumque  Niphaten  30 

Fidentemque  fuga  Parthiim  versisque  sagittis, 
Et  duo  rapta  manu  diverso  ex  hoste  tropaea 
Bisque  triumphatas  utroque  ab  litore  gentes. 
Stabunt  et  Parii  lapides,  spirantia  signa, 
Assaraci  proles  demissaeque  ab  love  geiUis  35 

Nomina,  Trosque  parens  et  Troiae  Cynthius  auctor. 
Invidia  infelix  Furias  amnemque  severum 
Cocyti  metuet  tortosque  Ixionis  angues 
Immanemque  rotam  et  non  exsuperabile  saxum.         ' 
Interea  Dryadum  silvas  saltusque  sequamu^      ^  40 

Intactos,  tua,  Maecenas,  baud  mollia  iussa, 
Te  sine  nil  altum  mens  incohat;   en  age  segnes     * 
Rumpe  moras ;    voCat  ingenti  clamore  Cithaeron 
Taygetique  canes  doniitrixque  Epidaurus  equorum 
E)t  vox  adsensu  nemoriim  ingeminata  remugit.  45 

Mox  tamen  ardentes  accingar  dicere  pugnas 
Caesaris,  et  nomen  fama  tot  ferre  per  annos, 
-Tithoni  prima  quot  abest  ab  origine  Caesar. 
"  Sen  quis  Olympiacae  miratus  praemia  palmae 
Pascit  equos,  seu  quis  fortes  ad  aratra  iuvencos,  50 

Corpora  praecipue  matrum  legat.     Optuma  torvae 
Forma  bovis,  cui  turpe  caput,  cui  plurima  cervix, 
Et  crurum  tenus  a  mento  palearia  pendent; 
Turn  longo  nuUus  lateri  modus;    omnia  magna, 
Pes  ctiam ;    et  camuris  hirtae  sub  cornibus  aures.  55 

Nee  mihi  displiceat  maculis  insignis  et  albo, 
Aut  iuga  detractans  interdumque  aspera  cornu 
Et  faciem  tauro  propior,  quaeque  ardua  tota, 
Et  gradiens  ima  verrit  vestigia  cauda. 
Aetas  Lucinam  iustosque  pati  hymenaeos  60 

Desinit  ante  decern,  post  quattuor  incipit  annos; 
Cetera  nee  feturae  habilis  nee  fortis  aratris. 
Interea,  superat  gregibus  dum  laeta  iuventas, 
Solve  mares ;    mitte  in  Venerem  pecuaria  primus, 
Atque  aliam  ex  alia  generando  suffice  prolem.  65 


GEORGICON  LIB.  III.,  33 

'ima  quaeque  dies  miseris  mortalibus  aevi 
iia  fiigit ;   subeunt  morbi  tristjsque  senectus 
..  labor,  et  durae  rapit  inclementia  mortis. 
Semper  erunt,  quarum  mutari  corpora  malis  : 
Semper  enim  refice  ac,  ne  post  amissa  requiras,  70 

Anteveni,  et  subolem  armento  sortire  quotannis. 
Nee  non  et  pecori  est  idem  delectus  equino. 
Tu  modo,  quos  in  spem  statues  submittere  gentis, 
Praecipuum  iam  inde  a  teneris  impende  laborem. 
Continuo  pecoris  generosi  puUus  in  arvis  75 

Altius  ingreditur  et  mollia  crura  reponit; 
Prirnus  et  ire  viam  et  fluvios  temptare  minantes 
Audet,  et  ignoto  sese  committere  ponti, 
Nee  vanos  horret  strepitus.     Illi  ardua  cervix 
Argutumque  caput,  brevis  alvos  obesaque  terga,  80 

Luxuriatque  toris  animosum  pectus.     Honesti 
Spadices  glaueique,  color  deterrimus  albis 
Et  gilvo.     Tum,  si  qua  sonum  procul  arma  dedere, 
St^re  loco  neseit,  micat  auribus  et  tremit  artus, 
CoUectumque  Tremens  volvit  sub  naribus  ignem.  85 

Densa  tuba,  et  dextro  iactata  reeumbit  in  armo; 
At  duplex  agitur  per  lumbos  spina,  cavatque 
Tellurem  et  solido  graviter  sonat  ungula  eornu. 
Talis  Amyclaei  domitus  Poilucis  habenis 
Cyllarus  et,  quorum  Grai   meminere  poctae,  90 

Martis  eciui  biiuges  et  niagni  currus  Achilli. 
Talis  et  ipse  iubam  eervice  effudit  equina 
Coniugis  adventu  jjcrnix  Saturnus,  et  altum 
Pelion  hinnitu  fugiens  implevit  acuto.  94 

Hunc  quoque,  ubi  aut  moibo  gravis  aut  iam  segnior  annis 
Deficit,  abde  dome  nee  turpi  ignosce  senectae. 
Frigidus  in  Venerem  senior,  fiustraque  laborem 
Ingra'tum  trahit,  et,  si  quando  ad  proelia  ventum  est, 
Ut  quondam  in  stipulis  magnus  sine  viribus  ignis, 
Incassum  furit.     Ergo  animos  aevomqiie  notabis  100 

Praecipuc;    hinc  alias  artes  prolemque  parentum 
Et  quis  cuirjue  dolor  viclo,  quae  gloria  palmae. 
Nonne  vides,  cum   praecipiti  certamine  campum 
Corripuere,  ruuntque  cffusi  carcere  currus, 
Cum  bpcs  arrcclac  iuvcnum,  exuUanlia(|uc  haurit  105 

C.  III.  IV.  , 


34  P-  VER  GILI  MA  R  ON/S 

Corda  pavor  pulsans?   illi  instant  verbere  torto 

Et  proni  dant  lora,  volat  vi  fervidus  axis ; 

lamqiie  huniiles,  iamque  elati  sublime  videntur        ^ 

Aera  per  vacuum  ferri  atque  adsurgere  in  auras; 

Nee  mora  nee  retjuies;   at  fulvae  nimbus  liarcnac         iio 

ToUitur,  umescunt  spumis  flatuque  sequentum : 

Tantus  amor  laudum,  tantae  est  victoria  cuiae. 

Primus  Erichthonius  currus  et  quattuor  ausus 

lungcre  equos,  rapidusque  rotis  insistere  victor. 

Frena  Pelethronii  Lapithae  gyrosque  dedere  1 1 5 

Impositi  dorso  atque  equitem  docueie  sub  armis 

Insultare  solo  et  gressus  glomcrare  superbos. 

Aequus  uterque  labor,  aeque  iuvenemque  magistri 

Exquirunt  calidumque  nuimis  et  cursibus  acrem, 

Quamvis  saepe  fuga  versos  ille  egerit  hostes  120 

Et  patriam  Epiruni  referat  fortesque  Mycenas 

Neptunique  ipsa  deducat  origine  gentem. 

His  animadversis  instant  sub  tempus  et  omnes 
Impendunt  curas  denso  distendere  pingui,  ' 

Quem  legere  ducem  et  pecori  dixere  maritum  :  125 

Florentesque  secant  herbas  fluviosque  ministrant 
Farraque,  ne  blando  nequeat  superesse  labori 
Invalidique  patrum  referant  ieiunia  nati. 
Ipsa  auteni  macie  tenuant  armenta  volentes, 
Atque,  ubi  concubitus  primos  iam  nota  voluptas  130 

Sollicitat,  frondesque  negant  et  fontibus  arcent. 
Saepe  etiam  cursu  quatiunt  et  sole  fatigant, 
Cum  graviter  tunsis  gemit  area  frugibus,  et  cum 
Surgentem  ad  Zephyrum  paleae  iactantur  inanes. 
Hoc  faciunt,  nimio  ne  luxu  obtunsior  usus  135 

Sit  genitali  arvo  et  sulcos  oblimet  inertes, 
Sed  rapiat  siticns  Venerem  interiusque  recondat. 

Rursus  cura  patrum  cadere  et  succedere  matrum 
Incipit.     Exactis  gravidae  cum  mensibus  errant, 
Non  illas  gravibus  quisquam  iuga  ducere  plaustris,       1(40 
Non  saltu  superare  viam  sit  passus  et  acri 
Carpere  prata  fuga  fluviosque  innare  rapaces. 
Saltibus  in  vacuis  pascunt  et  plena  secundum 
Mumina,  muscus  ubi,  et  viridissinia  graniine  ripa, 
Speluncaeque  tegant^et  saxea  procubet  umbra,  145 


GEORGICON  LIB.  III.  35 


Est  lucos  Silari  circa  ilicibusque  virentem 

Plurimus  Alburnum   volitans,  cui   nomen  asilo 

Romanuiii  est,  oestrum  Grai  vcrtere  vocantes, 

Asper,  acerba  sonans,  quo  tota  exterrita  silvis 

Diffugiunt  armenta ;    furii  mugitibus  aether  150 

Concussus  silvaeque  et  sicci  ripa  Tanagri. 

Hoc  c|Uondam  nvenstro  horribiles  exercuit  iras 

Inacliiae  luno  pestem  meditata  iuvencae. 

Himc  quoque,  nam  mediis  fervoribus  acrior  instat, 

Arcebis  gravido  pecori,' , armentaque  pasces  155 

Sole  recens  orto  aut  noctem  ducentibus  astris. 

Post  partum  cura  in  vitulos  traducitur  oinnis, 
Continuoque  notas  et  nomina  gentis  inurunt, 
Et  quos  aut  pecori  malint  submittere  habendo 
Aut  aris  servare  sacros  aut  scindeie  terram  160 

Et  campum  horrentem  .  fractis  invei  tero  glaebis. 
Cetera  pascuntur  virides  armenta  per  herbas. 
Tu  quos  ad  studium  atque  usum  formabis  agrestem, 
lam  vitulos  bortare  viamque  insiste  domandi, 
Dum  faciles  animi  iyvenum,  dum  mobilis  aetas.  165 

Ac  primum  laxos  tenui  de  vimine  circlos 
Cervici  subnecte  ;    dehinc,  ubi  libera  colla 
Servitio  adsuerint,  ipsis  e  torquibus  aptos 
lunge  pares  et  coge  gradum  conferre  iuvencos ; 
Atque  illis  iam  saepe  rotae  ducantur  inanes  170 

Per  terram  et  sunmio  vestigia  pulvere  signent ; 
Post  valido  nitens  sub  pondere  faginus  axis 
Instrepat  et  iunctos  temo  trahat  aereus  orbes. 
Interea  pubi  indomitae  non  gramina  tantum 
Nee  vescas  salicum  frondes  ulvanviuc  palustrem,  175 

Sed  frumenta  manu  carpes  sata ;    n^c  tibi  fetac 
More  patrum  nivea  ini])lebunt  mulctraria  vaccae, 
Sed  tola  in  dulces  consunicnt  ubera  natos. 

Sin  ad  bclla  magis  siudium  turmasque  feroccs, 
Aut  Alphea  rotis  praelabi   flumina  Pisae  180 

Et  lovis  in  luco  currus  agitare  volantes : 
Primus  equi  labor  est,  animos  atque  arma  vidcre 
Bellantum  lituosque  pati  tractuquc  gementem 
Ferre  rotam  et  stabulo  frenos  audire  sonantcs  ; 
Turn   magis  atque  magis  Mandis  gaudere  magislri  1.^5 


o — 


3—3 


36  P.  VERGILJ  AIARONIS 

Laudibus  et  nlausae  sonitum  cervicis  amare. 

Atque  haec  iam  primo  depulsus  ah  ubere  matris 

Gaudeat,  inque  vicem  det  nioUibus  ora  capistris 

Invalidus  etiamque  tremens,  etiam  inscius  aevi. 

At  tribus  exactis  ubi  quarta  accesserit  aestas,  190 

Carpere  mox  gyrum  incipiat  gradibusque  sonare 

Compositis  sinuetque  alterna  voluniina  crurum, 

Sitque  laboranti  similis  ;  turn  cursibus  auras, 

Turn  vocet,  ac  per  aperta  volans  ceu  liber  habenis 

Aequora  vix  summa  vestigia  ponat  harena;  195 

Qualis  Hyperboreis  Aqiiilo  cum  densus  ab  oris 

Incubuit,  Scythiaeque  hiemes  atque  arida  differt 

Nubila  :  turn  segetes  altae  campique  natantes 

Lenibus  horrescunt  flabris,  summaeque  sonorem 

Dant  silvae,  longique  urguent  ad  litora  fluctus ;  200 

Ille  volat  simul  arva  fuga,  simul  aequora  verrens. 

Hinc  vel  ad  Elei  metas  et  maxima  campi 

Sudabit  spatia  et  spumas  aget  ore  cruentas, 

Belgica  vel  molli  melius  feret  esseda  coUo. 

Tum  demum  crassa  magnum  farragine  corpus  205 

Crescere  iam  domitis  sinito :  namque  ante  domandum 

Ingentes  toUent  animos  prensique  negabunt 

Verbera  lenta  pati  et  duris  parere  lupatis. 

Sed  non  ulla  magis  vires  industria  firmat, 
Quam  Venerem  et  caeci  stimulos  avertere  amoris,        210 
Sive  bourn  sive  est  cui  gratior  usus  equorum. 
Atque  ideo  tauros  procul  atque  in  sola  relegant 
Pascua  post  montem  oppositum  et  trans  flumina  lata, 
Aut  intus  clausos  satura  ad  praesepia  servant. 
Carpit  enim  vires  paulatim  uritque  videndo  215 

Femina,  ncc  nemorum  patitur  mcminisse  nee  herbae 
(Dulcibus  ilia  quidem  inlecebris),  et  saepe  superbos 
Cornibus  inter  sc  subigit  decernere  amantes. 
Pascitur  in  magna  Sila  formosa  iuvenca  : 
Illi  alternantes  multa  vi  proelia  miscent  2'2o 

Volneribus  crebris ;  lavit  ater  corpora  sanguis, 
Versaque  in  obnixos  urguentur  cornua  vasto 
Cum  gemitu  ;  reboant  silvacque  et  longus  Olympus. 
Nee  mos  bellantes  una  stabulare,  sed  alter 
Victus  abit  longeque  ignotis  exsulat  oris,  225 


GEORGICON XI£.  III.  37 

Multa  gemens  igiiominiam  plagasque  superbi 

Victoris,  turn,  quos  amisit  inultiis,  amores ; 

Et  stabula  aspectans  regnis  excessit  avitis. 

Ergo  omni  cura  vires  exercet  et  inter 

Dura  iacet  pernox  instrato  saxa  cubili  230 

Frondibus  liirsutis  et  carice  pastus  acuta, 

Et  temptat  sese,  atque  irasci  in  cornua  discit 

Arboris  obnixus  trunco,  ventosque  lacessit 

Ictibus,  et  sparsa  ad  pugnam  proludit  harena. 

Post  ubi  coUectum  robur  viresque  refectae,  235 

Signa  movet,  praecepsqtie  oblitum  fertur  in  hostem  ; 

Fluctus  uti,  medio  coepit  cum  albescere  ponto, 

Longius  ex  altoque  sinum  trahit,  utque  volutus 

Ad  terras  immane  sonat  per  saxa,  neque  ipso 

Monte  minor  procumbit,  at  ima  exaestuat  unda  240 

Vorticibus  nigramque  alte  subiectat  harenam. 

Omne  adeo  genus  in  terris  hominumque  ferarumque, 
Et  genus  aequoreum,  pecudes  pictaeque  volucres, 
In  furias  ignemque  ruunt :  amor  oninil)us  idem. 
Tempore  non  alio  catulorum  oblita  leaena  245 

Saevior  erravit  campis,  nee  funera  volgo 
Tarn  multa  informes  ursi  stragemque  dedere 
Per  silvas  ;  tum  saevus  aper,  tum  pessima  tigris ; 
Heu  male  tum  Libyae  solis  eriatur  in  agris. 
Nonne  vides,  ut  tota  tremor  pertemptet  equorum  250 

Corpora,  si  tantum  notas  odor  atiulit  auras  ? 
Ac  neque  eos  iara  frena  virum  neque  verbera  saeva, 
Non  scopuli  rupesque  cavae  atcjue  obiecta  retardant 
Flumina  correptosque  unda  torquentia  montes. 
Ipse*  ruit  dentesque  Sabellicus  exacuit  sus,  255 

Et  pede  prosubigit  terram,  fricat  arbore  costas, 
Atque  hinc  atque  illinc  umeros  ad  volnera  durat. 
Quid  iuvcnis,  magnum  cui  versat  in  ossibus  ignem 
Durus  amor?  nempe  abruptis  turbaia  proccllis 
Nocte  natat  caeca  serus  freta ;  qucm  super  ingens        260 
Porta  tonat  caeli  et  scopulis  inlisa  reclamant 
Aequora ;  nee  miseri  possunt  revocare  parentcs 
Nee  moritura  super  cjudeli  funere  virgo. 
Quid  lynces  Bacchi  variae  et  genus  acre  luporum 
Atque  canum  ?  quid,  (juae  inbelles  dant  proclia  cervi  ?    265 


70805 


38  P.  VERGIL!  MARONIS 

Scilicet  ant6  onines  furor  est  insignis  equarum  ; 

\'X  mentem   Venus  ipsa  dedit,  tiuo  tcin[)ore  (ilauci 

Poliiiades  malis  nicinbra  absuiiipscre  quadrigae. 

Illas  ducit  amor  trans  Gargara  transque  sonantem 

Ascaniuni ;  superant  monies  el  flumina  tranant.  270 

Continuoque  avidis  ubi  subdita  flamma  medullis, 

(Vere  magis,  quia  vere  calor  redit  ossibus)  illae 

Ore  omnes  versae  in  Zephyrum  stant  rupibus  altis, 

Exceptantijue  leves  auras  et  sacpe  sine  uUis 

Coniugiis  vento  gravidae  (mirabile  dictu)  275 

Saxa  per  et  scopulos  et  depressas  coiiyalles 

Diffugiunt,  non,  Eure,  tuos,  neque  solis  ad  ortus, 

In  Korean  Caurumque,  aut  unde  nigerrimus  Auster 

Nascitur  et  pluvio  contristat  frigore  caelum.         ^ 

Hie  demum,  hippomanes  vero  quod  nomine  dicunt      280 

Pastores,  lentum  destillat  ab  inguine  virus, 

Hippomanes,  quod  saepe  malae  legere  novercae 

Miscueruntque  herbas  et  non  innoxia  verba. 

Sed  fugit  interea,  fugit  inreparabile  tempus, 
Singula  dum  capti  circumvectamur  amore.  285 

Hoc  satis  armentis  :  superat  pars  altera  curae, 
Lanigeros  agitare  greges  hiitasque  capellas. 
Hie  labor,  hinc  laudem  fortes  sperate  coloni. 
Nee  sum  animi  dubius,  verbis  ea  vincere  magnum 
Quam  sit,  et  angustis  hunc  addere  rebus  honorem  ;    290 
Sed  me   Parnasi  deserta  per  ardua  dulcis 
Raptat  amor  ;   iuvat  ire  iugis,  qua  nulla  priorum 
Castaliam  molli  devertitur  orbita  clivo. 
Nunc,  veneranda  Pales,  magno  nunc  ore  sonandum. 

Incipiens  stabulis  edico  in  mollibus  herbam  295 

Carpere  oves,  dum  mox  frondosa  reducitur  aestas, 
Et  multa  duram  stipula  felicumque   maniplis 
Sternere  subter  liumum,  glacies  ne  frigida  laedat 
Molle  pecus,  scabiemque  ferat  turpesque  podagras. 
Post  hinc  digressus  iubeo  frondentia  capris  300 

Arbuta  sufificere  et  fluvios  praebere  recentes, 
Et  stabula  a  ventis  hiberno  opponere  soli 
Ad  medium  conversa  diem,  cum  frigidus  olira 
lam  cadit  extremoque  inrorat  Aquarius  anno. 
Hae  quoque  non  cura  nobis  leviorc   tuendae,  gO£ 


GEORGICON  LIB.  III.  %<) 

Nee  minor  usus   erit,   quamvis   Milcsia   niai^no 
Vellera  nuitentur  Tyrios  incocta   rubores  :   - 
Densior  hinc  suboles,  hinc  largi  copia  lactis ; 
Quam  magis  exhausto  spumaverit  iibere  mulctra, 
Laeta  magis  pressis  manabunt  flumina  mammis.  310 

Nee  minus  interea  barbas  ineanaque  menta 
Cinyphii  tondent  hirei  saetasque  eomantes 
Usum  in  castrorum  et  miseris  velamma  nautis. 
Paseuntur  vero  silvas  et  summa  Lycaei 
Horrentesque  rubos  et  amantes*  af3ua  dumos  :  315 

Atque  ipsae  memores  redeunt  in  tecta  suosque 
Ducunt,  et  gravido  superant  vix  ubere  limen. 
Ergo  omni  studio  glaeiem  ventosque  nivales. 
Quo  minor  est  illis  curae  mortalis  egestas, 
Avertes  victumque  feres  et  virgea  laetus  .  320 

Pabula,  nee  tota  claudes  faenilia  bruma. 
At  vero  Zephyris  cum  laeta  vocantibus  aestas 
In  saltus  utrumque  gregem  atque  in  paseua  mittet, 
Luciferi  primo  cum  sidere  frigida  rura 
Carpamus,  dum  mane  novum,  dum  gramina  canent,     325 
Et  ros  in  tenera  pecori  gratissimus  herba. 
Inde  ubi  quarta  sitim  caeli  collegerit  hora 
Et  cantu  querulae  rumpent  arbusta  eieadae, 
Ad  puteos  aut  alta  greges  ad  stagna  iubebo 
Currentem  ilignis  potare  canalibus  undam  ;  330 

Aestibus  at  mediis  umbrosam  exquirere  vallem, 
Sicubi  magna  lovis  antiquo  robore  quercus 
Ingentes  tendat  ramos,  aut  sicubi  nigrum 
Ilieibus  crebris  sacra  nemus  accubet  umbra ; 
Turn  tenues  dare  rursus  aquas  et  pascere  rursus  3'?5 

Solis  ad  occasum,  cum  frigidus  aera  vesper 
lemperat  et  saltus  rcficit  iam  roscida  luna 
Litoraque  aleyonem  resonant,  acalanthida  dumi. 
Quid  tibi  paslores  IJbyae,  quid  pasciia  versu 
Prosequar  et  raris  habitata  mapalia  tectis  ?  340 

Saepe  diem  noctemquc  et  totum  ex  ordinc  mensem 
Pascitur  itcjuc  pecus  longa  in^deserta  sine  ullis 
Hospitiis  :  tantum  campi  iacet.     omnia  secum 
Aruu'iitarius  Alcr  agit,  tectuuKjue  larcuKjue 
Aimacjue  Amyclaeumcjue  canem  Crcssaiiiquc  pliarctram ; 

/ 


40  P,  VERGILI  MARONIS 

Non  sccus  ac  patriis  acer  Romanus  in  aimis  346 

Iniusto  sub  fasce  viani  cum  carpit,  et  hosti 

Ante  expectatum  positis  stat  in  agniine  castris. 

At  non,  qua  Scythiae  gentes  Maeotiaque  unda, 

I'urbidus  et  torquens  flaventes  Hister  harenas,  350 

Qiiaque  redit  medium  Rhodope  porrecta  sub  axein.  ' 

Illic  clausa  tenent  stabulis  armenta,  neque  ullae 

Aut  herbae  campo  apparent  aut  arbore  frondes ; 

Sed  iacet  aggeribus  niveis  informis  et  alto 

Terra  gelu  late  septemque  adsurgit  in  ulnas.  355 

Semper  hiemps,  semper  spirantes  fiigora  Cauri. 

Turn  Sol  pallentes  haud  umquam  discutit  umbras, 

Nee  cum  invectus  equis  altum  petit  aelhera,  nee  cum 

Praecipitem  Oceani  rubro  lavit  aequore  currum. 

Concrescunt  subitae  current!  in  flumine  crustae  360 

Undaque  iam  tergo  ferrates  sustinet  orbes, 

Puppibus  ilia  prius,  patulis  nunc  hospita  plaustris ; 

Aeraque  dissiliunt  ultro,  vestesque  rigescunt 

Indutae,  caeduntque  securibus  umida  vina, 

Et  totae  solidam  in  glaciem  vcrtere  lacunae,  365 

Sliriaque  inpexis  induruit  horrida  barbis. 

Interea  toto  non  setius  aere  ninguit : 

Intereunt  pecudes,  stant  circumfusa  pruinis 

Corpora  magna  boum,  confertoque  agmine  cervi 

Torpent  mole  nova  et  summis  vix  cornibus  extant.      373 

Hos  non  immissis  canilnis,  non  cassibus  ullis 

Puniceaeve  agitant  pavidos  formidine  pennae, 

Sed  frustra  oppositum  trudcntes  pectore  montem 

Comminus  obtruncant  ferro,  graviterque  rudentes 

Caedunt,  et  magno  laeti  clamore  reportant.  375 

Ipsi  in  defossis  specubus  secura  sub  alta 

Otia  agunt  terra,  congestaque  robora  totasque 

Advolvere  focis  ulmos  ignique  dedere. 

Hie  noctem  ludo  ducunt,  et  pocula  laeti 

Fermento  atque  acidis  imitantur  vitea  sorbis.  3S0 

Talis  Hyperboreo  septem  subiecta  trioni 

Gens  effrena  virum  Rhipaeo  tunditur  Euro 

Et  pecudum  fulvis  velatur  corpora  saetis. 

Si  tibi  lanitium  curae,  primum  aspera  silva 
I^ppaeque  tribolique  absint;   fuge  pabula  laeta;  385 


>  GEORGICON  LIB.  III.  41 

Continuoque  greges  villis  lege  mollibus  albos. 

Ilium  autem,  quamvis  aries  sit  candidus  ipse, 

Nigra  subest  udo  tantum  cui  lingua  palato, 

Reice,  ne  niaculis  infuscet  vellera  pullis 

Nascentum,  plenoque  alium  circumspice  campo.  390 

Munere  sic  niveo  lanae,  si  credere  dignum  est, 

Pan  deus  Arcadiae  captam  te,  Luna,  fefellit 

In  nemora  alta  vocans ;   nee  tu  aspernata  vocantem. 

At  cui  lactis  amor,  cytisum  lotosque  frequentes 
Ipse  manu  salsasque  ferat  praesepibus  herbas.  395 

Hinc  et  amant  fluvios  magis,  et  magis  ubera  tendunt 
Et  salis  occultum  referunt  in  lacte  saporem. 
Multi  iam  excretos  prohibent  a  matribus  haedos 
Primaque  ferratis  praefigunt  ora  capistris. 
Quod  surgente  die  mulsere  horisque  diurnis,  400 

Nocte  premunt ;  quod  iam  tenebris  et  sole  cadente, 
Sub  lucem ;  exportans  calathis  adit  oppida  pastor,  • 
Aut  parco  sale  contingunt  hiemique  reponunt. 

Nee  tibi  cura  canum  fuerit  postrema,  sed  una 
Velocis  Spartae  catulos  acremque  Molossum  405 

Pasce  sero  pingui.     Nuniquam  custodibus  illis 
Nocturnum  stabulis  furem  incursusque  luporum 
Aut  inpacatos  a  tergo  horrebis  Hiberos. 
Saepe  etiam  cursu  timidos  agitabis  onagros, 
Et  canibus  leporem,  canibus  venaijere  dammas;  410 

Saepe  volutabris  pulsos  silvestribus  apros 
Latratu  turbabis  agens  montesque  per  altos 
Ingentem  clamore  premes  ad  retia  cervum. 

Disce  et  odoratam  stabulis  accendere  cedrum 
Galbaneoque  agitare  graves  nidore  chelydros.  415 

Saepe  sub  inmotis  praesepibus  aut  m;ila  tartu 
Vipera  delituit  caelumcjue  exterrita  fugit, 
Aut  tecto  adsuetus  coluber  succedere  et  umbrae 
(Pestis  acerba  boum)  pecorique  aspergere  virus, 
Fovit  humum.     Cape  saxa  manu,  cape  robora,  pastor,   420 
Tollentemque  minas  et  sibila  colla  tumentem 
Deice,     lamcjue  fuga  timidum  caput  abdidit  alte. 
Cum  medii  nexus  extremaeque  agmina  caudae 
Solvontur,  tardosque  trahit  sinus  ultimus  orbes. 
Est  etiam  ille  malus  Calabris  in  saltibus  anguis,  425 


4-'  P.  VERGILI  MARONIS 

Siiuamea  convolvens  siiblato  pectore  terga 

Alque  notis  longam  niaculosus  grandibus  alvorn, 

Qui,   dum  anines  iilli  lumpuntiir  fontibus  ct  dura 

Vcre  niadcnt  udo  terrae  ac  pliivialibus  auslris, 

Stagna  colit,  ripisiiue  habitans  hie  piscibus  atram         430 

hiiprobus  ingluviem  ranisque  loquacibus  explet; 

Postquam  exusta  palus,  terraeque  ardore  dchiscunt, 

l''>xsilit  in  siccum  et  flammantia  luniina  tonjuens 

Saevit  agris,  asperque  siti  atque  exterritus  aestu. 

Ne  niilii  turn  molles  sub  divo  carpere  somnos  435 

Neu  dorso  nemoris  libeat  iacuisse  per  herbas, 

Cum  positis  novus  exuviis  nitidusque  iuventa 

Volvitur  aut  catulos  tectis  aut  ova  relinquens 

Aiduus  ad  solem  et  Unguis  inicat  ore  trisulcis. 

Morborum  ([uoque  te  causas  et  signa  docebo.  440 

Turpis  oves  temptat  scabies,  ubi  frigidus  iniber 
Altius  ad  vivom  persedit  et  horrida  cano 
Bruma  gelu,  vel  cum  tonsis  inlotus  adhaesit 
Sudor  et  hirsuti  secuerunt  corpora  vepres. 
Dulcibus  idcirco  fluviis  pecus  omne  magistri  445 

Perfundunt,  udisque  aries  in  gurgite  villis 
Mersatur  niissusque  secundo  defluit  amni; 
Aut  tonsum  tristi  contingunt  corpus  amurca 
Et  spumas  misgent  argenti  vivaque  sulfura 
Idaeasque  pices  et  pingues  unguine  cet'as  450 

Scillamque  elleborosque  graves  nigrumque  bitumen. 
Non  tamen  uUa  magis  praesens  fortuna  laborum  est, 
Quam  si  quis  ferro  potuit  rcscindere  summum 
Ulceris  os :   alitur  vitium   vivitque  tegendo, 
Dum   medicas  adhibere  manus  ad  volnera  pastor         455 
Abnegat  et  meliora  dcos  sedet  omnia  poscens. 
Quin  etiam,  ima  dolor  balantum   lapsus  ad  ossa 
Cum  furit  atque  artus  depascitur  arida  febris, 
Profuit  incensos  aestus  avertere  et  inter 
Ima  ferire  pedis  salientem   sanguine  venam,  460' 

Bisaltae  quo  more  solent  acerque  Gelonus ; 
Cum  fugit  in   Rhodopen  atque  in   deserta  Getarum 
Kt   lac  concretuin   cum  sanguine  potat   equino. 
Quam  procul  aut  niolli  succedere  saepiijs  umbrae 
Videris,  aut  summas  carpenlem  ignavius  herbas  465 


GEORGICON  LIB.  HI. 


43 


Extremamque  sequi  ant   medio  procumbere  canipo 

Pascentem  et  serae  solam  deccdere  nocti ; 

Continuo   culpam   ferro   compesce,  priusquain 

Dira  per   incautum  serpant   contagia  volgus. 

Non  tarn  creber  agens  hiemem  rait  aequore  turbo,     470 

Quam  multae  pecuduni  pestes.     Nee  singula  niorbi 

Corpora  corripiunt,   sed  tota  aestiva  repente, 

Spemque  gregemque  siniul  cunctamque  ab  Origine  gentem. 

Turn  sciat,  aerias  Alpes  et  Nor^ca  si  quis 

Castella  in  tumulis  et  lapydis  arva  Timavi   f^    -•--  '^^475 

Nunc  quoque  post  tanto  videat  desertaque  regna 

Pastorum  et  longe  saltus  lateque  vacantes. 

Hie  quondam  morbo  caeli  miseranda  coorta  est 
Tempestas,  totoque  autumni  incan(iuit  aestu, 
Et  genus  omne  neci  pecudum  dedit,  omne  ferarum,    483 
Corrupitque  lacus,  infecit  pabula  tabo. 
Nee  via  mortis  erat  simplex,  sed  ubi  ignea  venis 
Omnibus  acta  sitis  miseros  adduxerat  artus, 
Rursus  abundabat  fluidus  liquor  omniaque  in  se 
Ossa  minutatim  morbo  conlapsa  trahebat. 
Saepe  in  honore  deum  medio  stans  hostia  ad  aram, 
Lanea  dum  nivea  circumdatur  infula  vitta, 

\  Inter  cuTictarrtes  cecidit  moribunda  ministros. 
Aut  si  quam  ferro  mactaverat  ante  sacerdos, 
Inde  neque  impositis  ardent  altaria  fibris 
Nee  responsa  potest  consultus  reddere  vales 
Ac  vix  suppositi  linguntur  sanguine  cultri 
Suinmaque  ieiuna  sanie  infuscatur  harena. 
Hinc  lactis  vituli  volgo  moriuntur  in  herbis 
Et  dulces  animas  plena  ad  praesepia  rcddunt ; 
Hinc  canibus  blandis  rabies  venit,  et  quatit  acgros 
Tussis  anlicla  sues  ac  faiicibus  angit  obesis. 
Labilur  infelix  sludiorum  atque  immemor  herbae 
Victor  equus  fontesque  avertitur  et  pede  terram 
Crebra  fcrit ;    demissae  aurcs,  inccrtus  ibidem 
S^mjor  et  ille  quidem  morituris  frigidus,  aret 
Pellis  et  ad  tactum  tractanti  dura  resistit. 
Haec  ante  cxitium  primis  dant  signa  diebus  ; 
Sin  in   processu  coepit  crudcscere  morbus, 

^  Turn  vcro  ardcntcs  oculi  alciuc  attractus  ab  alto  505 


485 


490 


495 


500 


44  P'  VERGTLI  MARONTS 

Spiritus,  intcrdum  gemitu  gravis,  imaque  longo 

Ilia  singultu  tendunl,  it  naribus  ater 

Sanguis  et  obsessas  fauces  picmit  aspere  lingua. 

Profuit  inserto  latices  infundeie  cornu 

Lenaeos ;   ea  visa  salus  morientibus  una  ;  510 

Mox  erat  hoc  ipsum  exitio,  furiisque  lefecti 

Ardebant  ipsique  suos  iam  morte  sub  aegra 

(Di  uieliora  piis  erroremque  hostibus  ilium  !) 

Discissos  nudis  laniabant  dentibus  artus. 

Ecce  autem  duio  fumans  sub  voinere  taurus  515 

Concidit  et  mixtum  spumis  vomit  ore  cruorem 

Extremosque  ciet  gemitus.     It  tristis  arator 

Maerentem  abiungens  fraterna  morte  iuvencum, 

Atque  opere  in  medio  defixa  relinquit  aratra. 

Non  umbrae  altorum  nemorum,  non  moUia  possunt     520 

I'rata  movcre  animum,  non  qui  per  saxa  volutus 

Purior  electro  campum  petit  amnis ;   at  ima 

Solvontur  latera  atque  oculos  stupor  urguet  inertes, 

Ad  terramque  fluit  devexo  pondere  cervix. 

Quid  labor  aut  benefacta  iuvant?  quid  vomere  terras  525 

Invertisse  graves?   atqui  non  Massica  Bacchi 

Munera,  non  illis  epulae  nocuere  repostae  : 

Frondibus  et  victu  pascuntur  simplicis  herbae, 

Pocula  sunt  fontes  liquidi  atque  exercita  cursu 

Flumina,  nee  somnos  abrumpit  cura  salul>res.  530 

Tempore  non  alio  dicunt  regionibus  illis 

Quaesitas  ad  sacra  boves  lunonis  et  uris 

Imparibus  ductos  alta  ad  donaria  currus. 

Ergo  aegre  rastris  terram  rimantur  et  ipsis 

Unguibus  infodiunt  fruges  montesque  per  altos  535 

Contenta  cervice  trahunt  stridentia  plaustra. 

Non  lupus  insidias  explorat  ovilia  circum 

Nee  gregibus  nocturnus  obambulat ;   acrior  ilium 

Cura  domat ;    timidi  dammae  cervique  fugaces 

Nunc  interque  canes  et  circum  tecta  vagantur.  540 

lam  maris  immensi  prolem  et  genus  omne  natantum 

Litore   in  exiremo,  ecu  naufraga  corpora,  ductus 

Proluit ;   insolitae  fugiunt  in  flumina  phocae. 

Interit  et  curvis  frustra  defensa  latebris 

Vipera  et  attoniti  squamis  adstantibus  hydri.  545 


GEORGICON  LIB.  III.  45 

Ipsis  est  aer  avibus  non  aequus,  et  illae 

Praecipites  alta  vitam  sub  nube  relinquonL 

Praeterea  iam  nee  mutari  pabula  refert 

Quaesitaeque  nocent  artes ;   cessere  magistri, 

Phillyrides  Chiron  Amythaoniusque  Melampus.  550 

Saevit  et  in  lucem  Stygiis  emissa  tenebris 

Pallida  Tisiphone  Morbos  agit  ante  Metumque, 

Inque  dies  avidum  surgens  caput  altius  effert. 

Balatu  pecorum  et  crebris  mugitibus  amnes 

Arentesque  sonant  ripae  collesque  supini.  555 

lamque  catervatim  dat  stragem  atque  aggerat  ipsis 

In  stabulis  turpi  dilapsa  cadavera  tabo, 

Donee  humo  tegere  ac  foveis  abscondere  discunt. 

Nam  neque  erat  coriis  usus  nee  viscera  quis(}uam 

Aut  undis  abolere  potest  aut  vincere  flamma;  560 

Ne  tondere  quidem  morbo  inluvieque  peresa 

Vellera  nee  telas  possunt  attingere  putres; 

Verum  etiam  invisos  .si  quis  temptarat  aniictus, 

Ardentes  papulae  atque  immundus  olentia  sudor 

Membra  sequebatur,  nee  longo  deinde  moranti  565 

Tempore  contaetos  artus  saccr  ignis  edebat. 


r.    VERGILT    MA  RON  IS 

GEORGICON 

LIBER   OUARTUS. 


Protiniis  aerii  inellis  caelestia  dona 

Exsequar.     Hanc  etiani,  Maecenas,  aspice  partem. 

Admiranda  tibi  levium  spectacula  rerum, 

Magnanimosque  duces  totiusque  ordine  gentis 

Mores  et  studia  at  populos  et  proelia  dicam.  5 

In  tenui  labor;   at  tenuis  non  gloria,  si  quem 

Nuniina  laeva  sinunt  auditque  vocatus  Ai)ollo. 

Principio  sedes  apibus  staiioque  petenda, 
Quo  neque  sit  ventis  aditus  (nam  pabula  venti 
Ferre  domum  prohibent)  neque  oves  haedique  petulci  10 
Floribus  insultent,  aut  errans  bucula  campo 
Decutiat  rorem  et  surgentes  atterat  herbas. 
Absint  et  picti  squalentia  terga  lacerti 
Pinguibus  a  stabulis,  nieropesque,  aliaequc  volucres, 
Et  manibus  Procne  pectus  signata  cruentis;  15 

Omnia  nam  late  vastant  ipsascjue  volantes 
Ore  ferunt  dulcem  nidis  inmitibus  escam. 
At  liquidi  fontes  et  stagna  virentia  musco 
Adsint  et  tenuis  fugiens  per  gramina  rivos, 
Palmarjue  vestibulum  aut  ingens  oleaster  inumbret,         20 
Ut,  cum  prima  sui  ducent  examina  reges 
Vere  sue,  ludetque  favis  emissa  iuventus, 
Vicina  invitet  decedere  ripa  calori 
Obviaque  hospitiis  leneat  frondentibus  arbos. 
In   medium,  seu  stabit  iners  seu  prolluet  umor,  25 


GEO  RG I  CON  LIB.  IV.  47 

Transversas  salices  et  giandia  coiiice  saxa, 

Pontibus  ut  crebris  possint  consistere  et  alas 

Pandere*  ad  aestivom  solem,  si  forte  morantes 

Sparserit  aut  praeceps  Neptuno  inmerserit  Eurus. 

Haec  circum  casiae  virides  et  olentia  late  30 

Serpulla  et  graviter  spirantis  copia  thymbrae 

Floreat,   inriguumque  bibant  violaria  fontcni. 

Ipsa  autcm,  sen  corticibus  tibi  suta  cavatis  ^ 

Seu  lenlo  fuerint  alvaria  vimine  texta, 

Angustos  liabeant  aditus :    nam  frigore  mella  35 

Cogit  hiemps,  eadeinque  calor  liquefacta  remittit. 

Utraque  vis  apibus  pariter  metuenda;    neque  illae 

Nequiquam  in  tectis  certatim  tenuia  cera 

Spiramenta  linunt  fucoque  et  floribus  oras 

Explent,  collectumque  haec  ipsa  ad  numera  gluten        40 

Et  visco  et  Phrygiae  servant  pice  lentius  Idae. 

Saepe  etiam  effossis,  si  vera  est  fania,  latebris 

Sub  terra  fovere  larem,  i)enitusque  repertae 

Pumicibusque  cavis  exesaeque  arboris  antro. 

Tu  tamen  et  levi  rimosa  cubilia  limo  45 

Ungiie  fovens  circum  et  raras  supeiinice  frondes. 

Ncu  propius  tectis  taxum  sine,  neve  rubentes 

Ure  foco  cancros,  altae  neu  crede  j^aludi, 

Aut  ubi  odor  caeni  gravis  aut  ubi  concava  pulsu 

Saxa  sonant  vocisque  oftensa  resultat  imago.  50 

Quod  superest,  ubi  pulsam  hiemem  sol  aureus  egit 
Sub  terras  caelumque  aestiva  luce  reclusit, 
Illae  continuo  saltus  silvasque  peragrant 
Purpureosquc  metunt  llores  et  flumina  libant 
Summa  leves.     Hinc  nescio  qua  dulcedine  laetae  55 

Progenieni  nidosque  fovcnt,  hinc  arte  recenies 
Excuduiu  ceras  et  niella  tenacia  lingunt. 
Hinc  ubi  iani  emissum  caveis  ad  sidcra  caeli 
Nare  per  aestatcm  licjuidain  suspexeris  agmen 
Obscu;anique  trahi  vento  miral^ere  nubem,  60 

Contcmplator :    a(|uas  dulccs  et  frondea  semper 
Tecta  petunt.     Hue  tu  iussos  asperge  sapores, 
Trita  melisphylla  ct  cerinthac  ignobile  gramcn, 
Tinnitiisque  f:ie  et   Matris  (juate  cyinbala  circum: 
Ipsac  confident  mcilicuiis  scdibus,  ipsae  65 


48  P.  VERGILI  MARONIS 

Intima  more  suo  sese  in  cunabula  condent. 

Sin  autein  ad  pugnam  exierint — nam  saepe  duobus 
Regibus  incessit  magno  discordia  motu  ; 
Continuoque  animos  volgi  et  trepidantia  bello 
Corda  licet  longe  praesciscere ;    namque  morantes  70 

Martius  ille  aeris  rauci  canor  increpat  et  vox 
Auditur  fractos  sonitus  imitata  tubarum ; 
Tum  trepidae  inter  se  coeunt  pinnisque  coruscant 
Spiculaque  exacuunt  rostris  aptantque  lacertos, 
Et  circa  reges  ipsa  ad  praetoria  densae  75 

Miscentur  magnisque  vocant  clamoribus  hostem. 
Ergo  ubi  vcr  nactae  sudum  camposque  patentes, 
Erumpunt  portis  :   concurritur,  aethere  in  alto 
Fit  sonitus,  magnum  mixtae  glomerantur  in  orbem 
Praecipitesque  cadunt ;   non  densior  aere  grando,  80 

Nee  de  concussa  tantum  pluit  ilice  glandis. 
Ipsi  per  medias  acies  insignibus  alis 
Ingentes  animos  angusto  in  pectore  versant, 
Usque  adeo  obnixi  non  cedere,  dum  gravis  aut  hos 
Aut  hos  versa  fuga  victor  dare  terga  subegit.  85 

Hi  motus  animorum  atque  haec  certamina  tanta 
Pulveris  exigui  iactu  compressa  quiescunt. 

Verum  ubi  ductores  acie  revocaveris  ambo, 
Deterior  qui  visus,  eum,  ne  prodigus  obsit, 
Dede  neci;   melior  vacua  sine  regnet  in  aula.  90 

Alter,,  erit  maculis  auro  squalentibus  ardens ; 
Nam  duo  sunt  genera  :   hie  melior,  insignis  et  ore 
Et  rutilis  clarus  squamis ;    ille  horridus  alter 
Desidia,  latamque  trahens  inglorius  alvom. 
Ut  binae  regum  facies,  ita  corpora  plebis.  95 

Namque  aliae  turpes  horrent,  ceu  pulvere  ah  alto 
Cum  venit  et  sicco  terram  spuit  ore  viator 
Aridus ;    elucent  aliae  et  fulgore  coruscant, 
Ardentes  auro  et  paribus  lita  corpora  guttis. 
Haec  potior  suboles,  hinc  caeli  tempore  certo  100 

Dulcia  mella  premes,  nee  tantum  dulcia,  quantum 
Et  liquida  et  durum  Bacchi  domitura  saporem. 

At  cum  incerta  volant  caeloque  examina  ludunt 
Contemnuntque  favos  et  frigida  tecta  relinquont, 
Instabiles  animos  ludo  prohibebis  inani.  105 


GEORGICON  LIB.  JV. 


49 


<rec  magnus  prohibere  labor  :   tu  regibus  alas 
Eripe  ;    non  illis  qiiisquam  cunctantibiis  altum 
Ire  iter  aut  castris  audebit  vellere  signa. 
Invitent  .croceis  halantes  floribus  horti 
Et  custos  furum  atque  avium  cum  falce  saligna  no 

Hellespontiaci  servet  tutela  Priapi. 
Ipse  thymum  pinosque  ferens  de  montibus  altis 
Tecta  serat  late  circum,  cui  talia  curae; 
Ipse  labore  manum  duro  terat,  ipse  feraces 
Figat  humo  plantas  et  amicos  inriget  imbres.  115 

Atque  equidem,  extreme  ni  iam  sub  fine  laborum 
Vela  traham  et  terris  festinem  advertere  proram, 
Forsitan  et,  pingues  hortos  quae  cura  colendi 
Ornaret,  canerem,  biferique  rosaria  Paesti, 
Quoque  niodo  potis  gauderent  intiba  rivis  120 

Et  virides  apio  ripae,  tortusque  per  herbam 
Cresceret  in  ventrem  cucumis ;   nee  sera  comantem 
Narcissum  aut  flexi  tacuissem  vimen  acanthi 
Pallentesque  hederas  et  amantes  litora  myrtos. 
Namque  sub  Oebaliae  memini  me  turribus  altis,  125 

Qua  niger  umectat  flavcntia  culta  Galaesus, 
Corycium  vidisse  senem,  cui  pauca  relicti 
lugera  runs  erant,  nee  fertilis  ilia  iuvencis 
Nee  pccori  opportuna  seges  nee  commoda  Bacclio, 
Hie  rarum  tamen  in  dumis  okis  albaque  circum  130 

Lilia  verbenasque  premens  vescumque  papaver, 
Regum  aequabat  opes  animis,  seraque  revcrtens 
Nocte  domum  dapibus  mensas  onerabat  inemptis. 
Primus  vere  rosam  atque  autumno  carpere  poma, 
Et  cum  tristis  hiemps  etiamnum  frigore  saxa  135 

Rumperet  et  glacie  cursus  frenaret  aquarum, 
lUe  comam  mollis  iam  tondel)at  hyacinthi 
Aestatem  increpitans  seram  zephyrosciue  morantes. 
Ergo  apibus  fetis  idem  atque  examine  multo 
Primus  abundare  et  spumantia  cogere  pressis  140 

Mella  favis  ;  illi  tiliae  atque  uberrima  pinus, 
Qiiotque  in   flore  novo  pomis  se  fertilis  arbos 
Indiieral,  totidem  autumno  niatura  tenebat. 
Ille  etiam  seras  in  versum  dislulit  uimos 
Kduramrjue  pirum  et  spinos  iam  pruna  ferentes  145 

G.  111.  IV.  4 


50  P.  VERGILI  MARONIS 

lamque  minislniniem  plaiaiuim  potantibus  umbras. 
Vcimn  hacc  ipse  equidem  spatiis  exclusus  iniquis 
riactereo  atque  aliis  post  me  memoranda  relinquo. 

Nunc  age,  naturas  apibus  quas  luppiter  ipse 
Addidit,  expediam,  pro  qua  mercede  canoros  150 

Curetum  sonitus  crepitantiaque  aera  secutae 
Dictaeo  caeli  regem  pavere  sub  antro. 
Solae  communes  natos,  consortia  tecta 
Urbis  habent,  magnisque  agitant  sub  legibus  aevom, 
Et  patriam  solae  et  certos  novere  penates ;  155 

Venturaeque  biemis  memores  aestate  laborem 
Experiuntur  et  in  medium  quaesita  reponunt, 
Namque  aliae  victu  invigilant  et  foedere  pacto 
Exercentur  agris ;   pars  intra  saepta  domorum 
Narcissi  lacrimam  et  lentum  de  cortice  gluten  160 

Prima  favis  ponunt  fundamina,  deinde  tenaces 
Suspendunt  ceras  ;   aliae  spem  gentis  adultos 
Educunt  fetus ;   aliae  purissima  mella 
Stipant,  et  liquido  distendunt  nectare  cellas. 
Sunt,  quibus  ad  portascecidit  custodia  sorti,  165 

Inque  vicem  speculantur  aquas  et  nubila  caeli 
Aut  onera  accipiunt  venientum  aut  agmine  facto 
Ignavum  fucos  pecus  a  praesepibus  arcent. 
Fervet  opus,  redolentque  thymo  fragrantia  mella; 
Ac  veluti  lentis  Cyclopes  fulmina  massis  170 

Cum  properant,  alii  taurinis  follibus  auras 
Accipiunt  redduntque,  alii  stridentia  tingunt 
Aera  lacu ;    gemit  inpositis  incudibus  Aetna ; 
lUi  inter  sese  magna  vi  bracchia  tollunt 
In  numerum,  versantque  tenaci  forcipe  ferrum  :  175 

Non  aliter,  si  parva  licet  componere  magnis, 
Cecropias  innatus  apes  amor  urguet  habendi, 
Munere  quamque  suo.     Grandaevis  oppida  curae 
Et  munire  favos  et  daedala  fingere  tecta. 
At  fessae  multa  referunt  se  node  minores,  180 

Crura  thymo  plenae ;    pascuntur  et  arbuta  passim 
Et  glaucas  salices  casiamque  crocumque  rubentcm 
\'A  pinguem  tiliam  et  ferrugineos  hyacinthos. 
Omnibus  una  quies  operum,  labor  omnibus  unus  : 
Mane  ruunt  portis;   nusquam  mora;   rursus  easdem     185 


GEORGICON  LIB.  IV.  51 

Vesper  ubi  e  pastu  tandem  decedere  campis 

Admonuit,  turn  tecta  petunt,  turn  corpora  curant; 

Fit  sonitus  mussantque  oras  et  limina  circum. 

Post,  ubi  iam  thalamis  se  composuere,  siletur 

In  noctem  fessosque  sopor  suus  occupat  artus.  190 

Nee  vero  a  stabulis  pluvia  impendente  recedunt 

Longius,  aut  credunt  caelo  adventantibus  euris ; 

Sed  circum  tutae  sub  moenibus  urbis  aquantur, 

Excursusque  breves  temptant,  et  saepe  lapillos, 

Ut  cymbae  instabiles  fluctu  iactante  saburram,  195 

ToUunt,  his  sese  per  inania  nubila  librant. 

Ilium  adeo  placuisse  apibus  mirabere  morem, 

Quod  neque  concubitu  indulgent  nee  corpora  segnes 

In  Venerem  solvunt  aut  fetus  nixibus  edunt ; 

Verum  ipsae  e  foliis  natos,  e  suavibus  herbis  200 

Ore  legunt,  ipsae  regem  parvosque  Quirites 

Sufficiunt,  aulasque  et  cerea  regna  refigunt. 

Saepe  etiam  duris  errando  in  cotibus  alas 

Attrivere  ultroque  animam  sub  fasce  dedere : 

Tantus  amor  florum  et  generandi  gloria  mellis.  205 

Ergo  ipsas  quamvis  angusti  terminus  aevi 

Excipiat  (neque  enim  plus  septima  ducitur  aestas) 

At  genus  immortale  manet  multosque  per  annos 

Stat  fortuna  domus  et  avi  numerantur  avorum. 

Praeterea  regem  non  sic  Aegyptos  et  ingens  210 

Lydia  nee  populi  Parthorum  aut  Medus  Hydaspes 

Oljservant.     Rege  incolumi  mens  omnibus  una  est; 

Amisso  rupere  fidem  constructaque  inella 

Diripuere  ipsae  et  crates  solvere  favorum. 

Ille  operum  custos,  ilium   admirantur  et  omnes  215 

Circumstant  fremitu   denso  stipantque   frequcntes, 

Et  saepe  attoliunt  umeris  et  corpora  bello 

Obiectant,  pulchramque  petunt  per  volnera  mortem. 

His  (juidam  signis  atqiie  hacc  exemjjla  secuti 
Esse  apibus  partem  divinac   mentis  et  hauslus  220 

Aetherios  dixere ;   deum  namque  ire  per  omnes 
'I'errasque  tractusque  maris  caelumque  profundum  ; 
Hinc  pecudes,  armenta,   viros,  genus  omne   feraruiii, 
Qnemque  sibi  tenuus  nascentem  arcessere  vitas  ; 
Scilicet  hue  reddi  deinde  ac  resoluta  referri  225 


52  p.  VERGTLI  MARONIS 

Omnia,  ncc  morti  esse  locum,  sed  viva  volare 
Sideris  in  numerum  atque  alto  siicfcdere  caelo. 

Si  e^uando  sedeni  angustam  servataque  mella 
Thesauris  relines,  prius  haustu  si)arsus  a(niariim 
Ora  fove  fumosque  manu  praetende  sequaces.  230 

Bis  gravidos  cogunt  fetus,  duo  tempora  niessis, 
Taygete  simul  os  terris  ostendit  honestum 
Plias,  et  Oceani  spretos  pede  reppulit  amnes, 
Aut  eadem  sidus  fugiens  ubi   Piscis  aquosi 
Tristior  hibernas  caelo  descendit  in  undas.  235 

Illis  ira  modum  supra  est,  laesaeque  venenum 
Morsibus  inspirant,  et  spicula  caeca  lelinquont 
Adfixae  venis,  animasque  in  volnere  ponunt 
Sin  duram  metues  hiemem  parcesque  future 
Contusosque  animos  et  res  miserabere  fractas :  240 

At  suffire  thymo  cerasque  recidere  inanes 
Quis  dubitet?  nam  saepe  favos  ignotus  adedit 
Stelio,  et  lucifugis  congesta  cubilia  blattis, 
Immunisque  sedens  aliena  ad  pabula  fucus; 
Aut  asper  crabro  inparibus  se  inmiscuit  armis,  245 

Aut  dirum  tiniae  genus,  aut  invisa  Minervae 
Laxos  in  foribus  suspendit  aranea  casses. 
Quo  magis  exhaustae  fuerint,  hoc  acrius  omnes 
Incumbent  generis  lapsi  sarcire  ruinas, 
Complebuntque  foros  et  floribus  horrea  texent.  250 

Si  vero,  quoniam  casus  apibus  quoque  nostros 
Vita  tulit,  tristi  languebunt  corpora  morbo — 
Quod  iam  non  dubiis  poteris  cognoscere  signis : 
Continuo  est  aegris  alius  color;  horrida  voltum 
Deformat  macies;   tum  corpora  luce  carentura  255 

Exportant  tectis  et  tristia  funera  ducunt ; 
Aut  illae  pedibus  conexae  ad  limina  pendent, 
Aut  intus  clausis  cunctantur  in  aedibus,  omnes 
Ignavaeque  fame  et  contracto  frigore  pigrae; 
Tum  sonus  auditur  gravior  tractimque  susurrant,  260 

Frigidus  ut  quondam  silvis  inmurmurat  Auster, 
Ut  mare  soUicitum  stridit  refluentibus  undis, 
Aestuat  ut  clausis  rapidus  fornacibus  ignis  : — 
Hie  iam  galbaneos  suadebo  incendere  odores 
Mcllaque  harundineis  inferre  canalibus,  ultro  265 


GEORGICON  LIB.  TV.  53 

Hortantem  et  fessas  ad  pabula  nota  vocantem. 

Proderit  et  tunsum  gallae  admiscere  saporem 

Arentesque  rosas,  aut  igni  pinguia  multo 

Defruta,  vel  psithia  passes, de  vite  racemes, 

Cecropiumque  thymuin  et  grave  olentia  centaurea.       270 

Est  etiam  flos  in  pratis,  cui  nomen  amello 

Fecere  agricolae,  facilis  quaerentibus  herba ; 

Namque  uno  ingentem  toUit  de  caespite  silvam, 

Aureus  ipse,  sed  in  foliis,  quae  plurima  circum 

Funduntur,  violae  sublucet  purpura  nigrae ;  275 

Saepe  deum  nexis  ornatae  torquibus  arae ; 

Asper  in  ore  sapor;   tonsis  in  vallibus  ilium 

Pastores  et  curva  legunt  prope  flumina  Mellae. 

Huius  odorato  radices  incoque  Baccho 

Pabulaque  in  foribus  plenis  adpone  canistris.  280 

Sed  si  quern  proles  subito  defecerit  omnis 
Nee,  genus  unde  novae  stirpis  revocetur,  habebit, . 
Tempus  et  Arcadii  memoranda  inventa  magistri 
Pandere,  quoque  modo  caesis  iam  saepe  iuvencis 
Insincerus  apes  tulerit  cruor.     Altius  omnem  285 

Expediam  prima  repetens  ab  origine  faniaui. 
Nam  qua  Pellaei  gens  fortunata  Canopi 
Accolit  effuso  stagnantem  flumine  Nilum 
Et  circum  pictis  vehitur  sua  rura  phaselis ; 
Quaque  pliaretratae  vicinia  Persidis  urguet,  290 

Et  diversa  ruens  septem  discurrit  in  ora 
Usque  coloratisamnis  devexus  ab  Indis, 
Et  viridem  Aegyptum  nigra  fecundat  harcna : 
Omnis  in  hac  certam  regio  iacit  arte  salutem. 
Exiguus  i)rimum  atcjue  ipsos  contractus  in  usus  295 

Eligitur  locus ;   hunc  angustique  imbrice  tecti 
Parietibusque  premunt  artis  ct  quattuor  addunt, 
Quattuor  a  ventis  obli(|ua  luce  fenestras. 
'I'um  vitulus  bima  curvans  iam  cornua  fronte 
Quaeritur;    huic  gcminae  narcs  et  spiritus  oris  300 

Multa  reluctanti  obstruitur,  plagis(|ue  pcrem[)to 
Tunsa  per  intcgram  solvontur  viscera  pcllcm. 
Sic  positum  in  clauso  linquont  et  ramea  costis 
Subiciunt  fragmenta,  thymnm  casi.isc|ue  rcccntcs. 
Hoc  geritur  Zcphyris  primum  inpellcntibus  undas,        305 


54  r.  VERGILI  MARONIS 

Ante  novis  rubeant  quam  prata  coloribus,  ante 

Garrula  quam  tignis  nidum  suspendat  hirundo. 

Interea  teneris  tepefacius  in  ossibus  umor 

Aestuat,  et  visenda  modis  animalia  miris, 

Trunca  pedum  primo,  mox  et  stiidentia  pinnis,  310 

Miscentur,  tenuemque  magis  magis  aera  carpunt, 

Donee,  ut  aestivis  eflfusus  nubibus  imber, 

Erupere,  aut  ut  nervo  puisante  sagittae, 

Prima  leves  ineunt  si  quando  proelia  Parthi. 

Quis  deus  banc,  Musae,  quis  nobis  extudit  artem  ?      "315 
Un Je  nova  ingressus  hominum  experientia  ccpit  ? 
Pastor  Aristaeus  fugiens  Peneia  Tempe 
Aniissis,  ut  fama,  apibus  morboque  fameque 
Tristis  ad  extremi  sacrum  caput  adstitit  amnis 
Multa  querens  atque  hac  adfatus  voce  parentem  :         320 
'  Mater,  Gyrene  mater,  quae  gurgitis  huiiis 
*Ima  tenes,  quid  me  praeclara  stirpe  deorum — 

*  Si  modo,  quem  perhibes,  pater  est  Thymbraeus  Apollo — 
'  Invisum  fatis  genuisti  ?   aut  quo  tibi  nostri 

'Pulsus  amor?   quid  me  caelum  sperare  iubebas?         325 

*  En  etiam  hunc  ipsum  vitae  mortalis  honorem, 

'  Quem  mihi  vix  frugum  et  pecudum  custodia  sellers 
'Omnia  temptanti  extuderat,  te  matre  relinquo. 
'Quin  age  et  ipsa  manu  felices  erue  silvas, 

*  Eer  stabulis  inimicum  ignem  atque  interfice  messes,  330 
'  Ure  sata  et  duram  in  vites  molire  bipennem, 

'Tanta  meae  si  te  ceperunt  taedia  laudis.' 

At  mater  sonitum  thalamo  sub  fluminis  alti 
Sensit.  Eam  circum  Milcsia  vellera  Nymphae 
Carpebaat  hyali  saturo  fucata  colore,     ^  335 

Drymoque  Xanthoque  Ligeaque  Phyllodoceque, 
Caesariem  effusae  nitidam  per  Candida  coUa, 
[Nesaee  Spioque  Thaliaque  Cymodoceque,] 
Cydippeque  et  flava  Lycorias,  altera  virgo, 
Altera  turn  primos  Lucinae  experta  labores,  340 

Clioque  et  Beroe  soror,  Oceanitides  ambae, 
Ambae  auro  pictis  incinctae  pellibus  ambae, 
Atque  Ephyre  atque  Opis  et  Asia  Deiopea 
Et  tandem  posiiis  velox  Arethusa  sagittis. 
Inter  quas  curam  Clymenc  narrabat  inanem  345 


GEORG/CO^  LIB.  IV.  55 

Volcani,  Martisque  dolos  et  dulcia  furta, 

Aque  Chao  densos  divom  numerabat  amoies. 

Carmine  quo  captae  dum  fusls  mollia  pensa 

Devolvont,  iterum  maternas  impulit  aures 

Luctus  Aristaei,  vitreisque  sedilibus  omnes  350 

Obstipuere ;   sed  ante  alias  Arethusa  sorores 

Piospiciens  summa  flavom  caput  extulit  unda, 

Yx  procul :     o  gemitu  non  frustra  exterrita  tan  to, 

'  Cyrene  soror,  ipse  tibi,  tua  maxuma  cura, 

'Tristis  Aristaeus  Penei  genitoris  ad  undara  355 

'Stat  lacrimans  et  te  crudelem  nomine  dicit.' 

Huic  percussa  nova  mentem  formidine  mater, 

'  Due,  age,  due  ad  nos ;    fas  illi  limina  divom 

'Tangere'  ait.     Simul  alta  iubet  discedere  late 

Fluraina,  qua  iuvenis  gressus  inferret.     At  ilium  360 

Curvata  in  montis  faciem  circumstetit  unda, 

Accepitque  sinu  vasto  misitque  sub  amnem. 

lamque  domum  mirans  genetricis  et  umida  regna 

Speluncisque  lacus  clausos  lucosque  sonantes 

Ibat,  et  ingenti  motu  stupefactus  aquarum  365 

Omnia  sub  magna  labentia  flumina  terra 

Spectabat  diversa  locis,  Phasimque  Lycumque 

Et  caput,  unde  altus  primum  se  erumpit  Enipeus 

Saxosuscjue  sonans  Hyj^anis  Mysusque  Caicus, 

Unde  pater  Tiberinus,  et  unde  Aniena  fliienta,  370 

Et  gemina  auratus  taurine  cornua  voltu 

Eridanus,  quo  non  alius  per  pinguia  culta 

In  mare  purpureum  violentior  cffluit  amnis. 

Postquam  est  in  tlialami  pendentia  pumice  tccta 

Perventum  et  nati  fletus  cognovit  inanes  375 

Cyrene,  manibus  liquidos  dant  ordine  fontes 

Germanae  tonsisque  fcrunt  mantelia  villis ; 

Pars  epulis  onerant  mensas  et  plena  reponunt 

Pocula,  Panchaeis  adolescunt  ignibus  arae, 

Et  mater  '  cape   Maeonii  carchcsia  Bacchi :  380 

'Oceano  libemus'  ait.     Simul  ipsa  precatur 

Oceanum(|iie  patrem  rcrum   Nymphasque  sorores, 

Cenuim  (|uae  silvas,  centum  (juae  (lumina  servant. 

Tor  Iiqui(lo  ardcntem  perfudit  nectare  Vestam, 

Tcr  flarnma  ad  summum  tccli  subiccta  reluxit.  385 


56  P.  VERGILI  MARONIS 


Omine  quo  firmnns  animum  sic  incipit  ipsa: 

'  Est  in  Carpathio  Neptuni  gurgite  vates, 

'  Caeruleus  Proteus,  magnum  qui  piscibus  aequor 

'  Kt  iuncto  bipedum  curiu  metitur  equorum. 

'I lie  nunc  Ematliiae  poitus  patriamque  revisit  390 

'Pallenen;    hunc  et  Nymphae  veneramur  et  ipse 

'  Grandaevus  Nereus ;   novit  nanique  omnia  vates, 

*  Quae  sint,  quae  fuerint,  quae  mox  ventura  trahantur ; 
'Quippe  ita  Neptuno  visum  est,  immania  cuius 
'Armenta  et  turpes  pascit  sub  gurgite  phocas.  395 
'  Hie  tibi,  nate,  prius  vinclis  capiendus,  ut  omnem 

'  Expediat  morbi  causam  eventusque  secundet. 

'  Nam  sine  vi  non  ulla  dabit  praecepta,  neque  ilium 

'  Orundo  flectes ;   vim  duram  et  vincula  capto 

*  Tende  ;  doli  circum  haec  demum  frangentur  inanes.  400 
'Ipsa  ego  te,  medios  cum  sol  accenderit  aestus, 

'  Cum  sitiunt  herbae  et  pecori  iam  gratior  umbra  est, 
'  In  secreta  senis  ducam,  quo  fessus  ab  undis 
'Se  recipit,  facile  ut  somno  adgrediare  iacentem. 
'Verum  ubi  correptum  nianibus  vinclisque  tencbis,       405 
'Tum  variae  eludent  species  atque  ora  ferarum. 
'Fiet  enim  subito  sus  horridus  atraque  tigris 
'  Squamosusque  draco  et  fulva  cervice  leaena, 
*Aut  acrem  flammae  sonitum  dabit  atque  ita  vinclis 
'Excidet,  aut  in  aquas  tenues  dilapsus  abibit.  410 

'Sed  qnanto  ille  magis  formas  se  vertet  in  omnes, 
'  Tarn  tu,  nate,  magis  contende  tenacia  vincla, 
'Donee  talis  erit  niutato  corpore,  qualem 

*  Videris,  inceplo  tegeret  cum  lumina  somno.' 

Haec  ait  et  liquidum  ambrosiae  diffundit  odorem,        415 

Quo  toium  nati  corpus  perduxit ;   at  illi 

Dulcis  compositis  spiravit  crinibus  aura, 

Atque  habilis  membris  venit  vigor.     Est  specus  ingens 

Exesi  latere  in  montis,  quo  plurima  vento 

Cogitur  inque  sinus  scindit  sese  unda  reductos,  420 

Deprensis  olim  statio  tutissima  nautis ; 

Intus  se  vasti  Proteus  tegit  obice  saxi. 

Hie  iuvenem  in  latebris  avcrsum  a  lumine  Nympha 

Collocat,  ipsa  procul  nebulis  obscura  resistit. 

lam  rapidus  torrens  sitientes  Sirius  Indos  425 


GEORGTCON  LIB.  IV.  57 

Ardebat  caclo  et  medium  sol  igneus  orbem 
Hauserat ;    arebant  herbae,  et  cava  flumina  siccis 
Faucibus  ad  limum  radii  tepefacta  coquebant : 
Cum  Proteus  consueta  petens  e  fluctibus  antra 
Ibat ;   eum  vasti  circum  gens  umida  ponti  430 

Exultans  rorem  late  dispergit  amarum ; 
Sternunt  se  somno  diversae  in  litore  phocae : 
Ipse,  velut  stabuli  custos  in  montibus  dim, 
Vesper  ubi  e  pastu  vitulos  ad  tecta  reducit 
Auditisque  lupos  acuunt  balatibus  agni,  435 

Considit  scopulo  medius,  numerumque  recenset. 
Cuius  Aristaeo  quoniam  est  oblata  facultas, 
Vix  defessa  senem  passus  componere  membra 
Cum  clamore  niit  magno  manicisque  iacentem 
Occupat.     Ille  suae  contra  non  immemor  artis  440 

Omnia  transformat  sese  in  miracula  rerum, 
Ignemque  horribilemque  feram  fluviumque  liquentem. 
Verum  ubi  nulla  fugam  reperit  fallacia,  victus 
In  sese  redit  atque  hominis  tandem  ore  locutus : 
*  Nam  quis  te,  iuvenum  confidentissime,  nostras  445 

'  lussit  adire  domos?  quidve  hinc  petis?'  inquit.    At  ille: 
*Scis,  Proteu ;   scis  ipse;  neque  est  te  fallere  quicquam  ; 
*Sed  tu  desine  velle      Deiim  praecepta  secuti 
'  Venimus,  hinc  lassis  quaesitum  oracula  rebus.' 
Tanium  effatus.     Ad  haec  vates  vi  denique  multa       450 
Ardentes  oculos  intorsit  lumine  glauco, 
Et  graviter  frend£ns^  sic  fatis  jira  resolvit : 
'  Non  te  nullius  exercent  numinis  irae  ; 
'  Magna  luis  commissa :   tibi  has  misenibilis  Oiphcus 
'Haudquaquam  ob  meritum  poenas,  ni  fata  resistant,  455 
'Suscitat,  et  rapta  graviter  pro  coniuge  saevit. 
'  Ilia  quidem,  dum  te  fugeret  per  flumina  praeceps, 
'  Immanem  ante  pedes  hydrurn   moritura  puella 
'Scrvantem  ripas  aha  non  vidit  in  hcrba. 
'At  ciiorus  aequalis  Dryadum  clamore  supremos  460 

'  Implerunt  montes ;    (Icrunt  Rhodopeiac  arces 
'Alta(|uc   I'ang.ica  et   Khcsi   M.ivortia  tellus 
'At(iuc  Getae  alfjuc   llehrus  ct  Actias  Orithyia. 
'  Ipse  cava  solans  aegrum  testudinc  amorem 
*Te,  diilcis  coniunx,  te  solo  in  litore  sccuin,  465 


5S  P.  VERGILT  MARONIS 

Te  veniente  die,  te  decedente  canebat. 

Tacnarias  etiam  fauces,  alta  ostia  Ditis, 

Et  caligantem  nigra  formidine  lucuni 

Ingrcssus  manesque  adiit  regemque  tremendum 

Nesciaque  humanis  precibus  mansuesccre  corda.  470 

At  cantu  commotae  Erebi  de  sedibus  imis 

Umbrae  ibant  tcnues  simulacraque  luce  carentum,     ' 

Quam  multa  in  foliis  avium  se  milia  condunt, 

Vesper  ubi  aut  hibernus  agit  de  montibus  imber, 

Matres  atque  viri  dcfunctaque  corpora  vita  475 

Magnanimum  heroum,,  pueri  innuptaeque  puellac, 

Impositique  rogis  iuvenes  ante  ora  parentum  ; 

Quos  circum  limus  niger  et  deformis  har'undo 

Cocyti  tardaquc  palus  inamabilis  unda 

Alligat  et  noviens  Styx  interfusa  coercet.  480 

Quin  ipsae  stupuere  domus  atque  intima  Let! 

Tartara  caeruleosque  implexae  crinibus  angues 

Eumenides,  tenuitque  inhians  tria  Cerberus  ora 

Atque  Ixionii  vento  rota  constitit  orbis. 

lamque  pedem  referens  casus  cvaserat  omncs  485 

Redditaque  Eurydice  superas  veniebat  ad  auras 

Pone  sequens, — namque  banc  dederat  Proserpina  legem — 

Cum  subita  incautum  dementia  cepit  amantem, 

Ignoscenda  quidem,  scirent  si  ignoscere  Manes : 

Restitit,  Eurydicenque  suam  iam  luce  sub  ipsa  490 

Immemor  heu  !    victusque  aninii  respexit.     Ibi  omnis 

Efifusus  labor,  atque  immitis  rupta  tyranni 

Foedera,  terque  fragor  stagnis  auditus  Avernis. 

Ilia  quis  et  vie  inquit  miseram  et  te  perdidit^   Orphen, 

Quis  tanttis  furor  1   en  item  in  critdelia  retro  495 

Fata  vacant  conditque  fiata?itia  lumina  somnus. 

lamque  vale:  feror  ingenti  circumdata  nocte  ' 

Invalidasque  tibi  tendens,  heu  nan  tua,  pahnasl 

Dixit  et  ex  oculis  subito,  ceu  fumus  in  auras 

Commixtus  tenues,  fugit  diversa,  neque  ilium  500 

Prensantem  nequiquam  umbras  et  multa  volentem 

Dicere  praeterea  vidit,  nee  portitor  Orci 

Amplius  obicctam  passus  transire  paludem. 

Quid  faceret?  quo  se  rapta  bis  coniuge  ferret? 

Quo  fletu  manes,  quae  numina  voce  moveret?  505 


GEORGICON  LIB.   IV. 


59 


*  Ilia  quidem  Stygia   nabat  iam  frigida  cumba. 
'Septem  ilium  totos  perhibent  ex  ordine  menses 
'  Rupe  sub  aeria  deserti  ad  Strymonis  undam 

'  Flevisse  et  gelidis  haec  evolvisse  sub  antris 

*  Mulcentem  tigris  et  agentem  carmine  quercus;  510 

*  Qualis  populea  maerens  philomela  sub  umbra 
'  Amissos  queritur  fetus,  quos  durus  arator 

'  Observans  nido  implumes  detraxit ;    at  ilia 

'  Flet  noctem  ramoque  sedans  miserabile  carmen 

'Integral  et  maestis  late  loca  questibus  implet.  515 

*  Nulla  Venus,  non  ulli  animum  flexere  hymenaei. 
'Solus  Hyperboreas  glacies  Tanaimque  nivalem 

'  Arvaque   Rhipaeis  numquam  viduata  pruinis 

*  Lustrabat  raptam  Eurydicen  atque  inrita  Ditis 

'  Dona  querens  ;  spretae  Ciconum  quo  munere  matres    520 

'  Inter  sacra  deum  nocturnique  orgia  Bacchi 

'  Discerptum  latos  iuvenem  sparsere  per  agros. 

'Tum  quoque  marmorea  caput  a  cervice  rcvolsum 

'Gurgite  cum  medio  portans  Oeagrius  Hebrus 

'  Volveret,  Eurydicen  vox  ipsa  et  frigida  lingua  525 

^A  miseram  Eurydicen  I  anima  fugiente  vocabat, 

'  Eurydicen  toto  referebant  flumine  ripae.' 

Haec  Proteus,  et  se  iactu  dedit  aequor  in  altum 

Quaque  dedit,  spumantem   undam  sub  vertice  torsit. 

At  non  Gyrene;  namque  ultro  adfata  timentem :      530 
'  Nate,  licet  tristes  animo  deponere  curas. 
'Haec  omnis  morbi  causa,  hinc   miserabile  Nymphae, 
'  Gum  quibus  ilia  choros  lucis  agitabat  in  altis, 
'Exitium  misere  apibus.     Tu  munera  supplex 
'Tende  petens  pacem  et  faciles  venerare  Napaeas ;     535 
'  Namque  dabunt  veniam   votis  irasque  remittent. 
'Sed  modus  orandi  qui  sit,   prius  ordine  dicam. 
'  Quattuor  eximios  praestanti  corpore  tauros, 
'Qui   tibi  nunc  viridis  depascimt  sumnia   Lycaci, 
'  Delige,  et  intacta   totidcui  cervice  iuvcncas.  540 

'  Quattuor  his  aras  alta  ad  dehibra  dearum 
'  Conslitue,  ct  sacrum  iugulis  demitle  cruorern 
'  Gorporaque  ipsa  bourn   frondoso  descre  luco. 
'  Post,   ubi   nona  suos  Aurora  ostenderit  ortus, 
'Inferias  Orphci   Lcthaca  papavcra  miltes  545 


6o     P.  VERGIIJ  MAKONIS  GEORG.  LIB.  IV. 

'  Et  nigram  magtabis  oveni  lucunique  revisens 

*  Placatani  Eurydicen  vitula  venerabere  caesa.' 

Haud  mora  ;   continuo  matris  praecopta  facessit ; 

Ad  delubra  vcnit,  monstratas  excitat  aras, 

Quattuor  eximios  praestanti  corpora  tauros  550 

Ducit  et  intacta  totidem  cervice  iuvencas. 

Post,  ubi  nona  suos  Aurora  induxerat  ortus, 

Inforias  Orphei  mittit  lucumque  revisit. 

Hie  vero  subitum  ac  dictu  mirabile  monstrum 

Aspiciunt,  liquefacta  bourn  per  viscera  toto  555 

Stridere  apes  utero  et  ruptis  elTervere  costis 

Immensasque  trahi  nubes  iaraque  arbore  summa 

Confluere  et  leniis  uvam  demittere  ramis. 

Haec  super  arvorum  cultu  pecorumque  canebam 
Et  super  arboribus,  Caesar  dum  magnus  ad  altum      560 
Fuhiiinat  Euphraten  bello  victorque  volentes 
Per  populos  dat  iura  viamque  adtectat  Olympo. 
Illo  Vergilium  me  tempore  dulcis  alebat 
Parthenope,  studiis  florentem  ignobilis  oti, 
Carmina  qui  lusi  pastoriun  audaxque  iuventa,  565 

Tityre,  te  palulae  ceciiii  sub  tcgmine  fagi.  " 


NOTES. 


[i — 4S.  Invocation:  Pales,  Apollo,  Lycaeus.  The  tales  of  old 
are  hackneyed  :  I  must  try  a  new  theme.  I  shall  build  a  temple  to  my 
own  land.  I  see  Caesar  the  deity  of  it :  games  with  all  Greece  contend- 
ing :  processions  and  sacrifices :  carved  on  the  doors  the  victories  and 
triumphs  of  Caesar  :  statues  of  his  great  ancestors  :  envy  quelled.  Now 
to  the  woods  and  glades,  Maecenas;  Githaeron,  home  of  cattle,  and 
Epidaurus  of  horses,  and  Sparta  of  dogs,  summon  me :  hereafter  of 
the  name  and  fame  of  Caesar.] 

1.  Pales,  rural  deity  of  shepherds  and  flocks,  whose  festival 
(Paliiia)  was  kept  21st  April,  and  was  regarded  as  the  natal  day  of  the 
city.  Ovid  Fast.  iv.  721  gives  a  long  and  lively  account  of  it:  the 
offerings,  the  peculiar  purifications  and  celebrations,  and  the  prayer 
addressed  to  her.  She  made  the  flocks  and  herds  fertile  in  milk,  wool 
and  young. 

Other  writers  make  Pales  masculine :  but  in  V.  and  Ovid  the  name 
is  fern. 

1.  Aviphrysus  was  a  small  river  in  Thessaly  (flowing  N.  into 
Pagasaean  gulf),  where  Apollo  fed  the  flocks  of  King  Admetus. 
According  to  a  common  account,  this  service  was  a  punishment  for 
having  killed  the  Cyclops. 

Apollo  is  therefore  the  'Shepherd  from  Amphrysus'.  In  Theoc. 
XXV.  21  we  have  the  name  vo/xios  'pastoral'  definitely  attached  to  Apollo 
as  a  title. 

all  depends  on  pastor,  a  sjjecial  use  of  the  preposition  with  names. 
Cf.  Prop.  VI.  6.  37  scrvator  ab  Alba  Auguste,  which  Lad.  quotes. 
The  ordinary  syntax  is  that  preps,  should  depend  on  verbs,  participles, 
or  adjectives. 

Lycaei,  the  rustic  god  Pan,  named  from  Mt  Lycaeus  in  Arcadia  the 
original  place  of  his  worship  and  home. 

3.  i.e.  the  old  hero  tales  ('whiclnnight  have  charmed  us  with  song') 
are  too  well  known. 

4.  Eurysthea  (note  Greek  ace.  of  Greek  names)  was  the  task- 
master of  llerakles  (Hercules)  for  whom  the  latter  performed  his 
celebrated  twelve  labours. 

5.  Busiris,  a  savage  king  of  I'gypt  who  sacrificed  all  strangers,  till 
Herakk's  came:  he  was  seized  like  the  rest,  but  broke  his  bonds  and 
blew  the  king. 


62  VERGIL.    GEORG.   III. 

inlaudnti,  'unblessed',  a  playfully  ironic  epithet  for  the  cruel  bar- 
baiian. 

f).  'Who  has  not  sung  of  Ilylas?'  V.  is  thinking  of  the  beauliful 
poem  of 'Iheocrilus,  who  tolls  how  llylas,  a  lovely  Argive  boy,  beloved 
of  llerakles,  went  with  him  in  the  Argo  when  they  sailed  after  the 
Golden  Fleece.  They  landed  in  Proponlis,  and  1  lylas  went  to  the  spring 
to  fetch  water:  but  the  nymphs  all  loved  him  when  they  saw  him,  and 
drew  him  down,  and  he  \\as  never  seen  again. 

cui,  dat.  of  agent  aftei'  j^aiticipie,  a  Greek  constr.  adopted  by 
Augustan  poets,  haljitae  6>V7?V  oracula  G.  II.  i6:  a/Z^iiMJ- depasta  Ed.  i. 
55:  /;'(!'/ relictum  A.  Vi.  509:  cuique  repertum  VII.  507.     See  170. 

Dclos,  the  sacred  island,  where  Latona  (Leto)  gave  birth  to  Apollo 
and  Artemis. 

7.  Pelops,  son  of  Lydian  king  Tantalus,  who  served  him  up  to  the 
gods  at  a  feast.  Demeter  distracted  about  her  lost  dauglUer  ate  a  piece 
of  the  shoulder:  the  rest  of  the  gods  discovered  the  horrid  fraud,  and 
restored  Felops,  filling  up  the  missing  shoulder  with  ivory  (eburno 
ume7'o).  Pelops  became  a  skilful  charioteer  (acer  equis)  and  entered  with 
other  suitors  for  the  chariot  race  at  Pisa  in  Elis,  of  which  the  prize  was 
Hippodanie  (usually  Hippodameia)  daugliter  of  the  king.  He  won  by 
bribing  the  driver  to  take  out  the  linchpin  of  Oenomaus'  chariot,  the 
king  having  outstrijiped  and  slain  the  other  wooers.  Pindar  tells  us 
that  Poseidon  gave  I'elops  winged  horses. 

9.     virum  volitare  per  ora,    'float   upon  the  lips  of  men',  a  bold 
imaginative  phrase  for  fame,  adopted  from  Ennius'  epitaph, 
nemo  me  lacrumis  decoret  nee  funera  fletu 
faxit :   cur  ?  volito  vivti'  per  ora  virum. 

So  again  A.  xil.  235  vivusque  per  ora  feretur.  [C.  takes  it  'flit  before 
the  face' :  but  V.  is  clearly  quoting  Ennius  who  is  speaking  o{ faine.\ 

11.  Aonio  was  the  name  of  a  part  of  Boeotia,  where  were  Mt 
Helicon  and  the  spring  Aganippe,  the  haunt  of  the  Muses.  So  Lucr.  i. 
115  says  of  Ennius  'primus  amoeno  Detulit  ex  Helicone  perenni  fronde 
coronam'. 

In  what  follows  the  poet  promises  in  a  fine  allegorical  vision  here- 
after to  write  a  poem  in  honour  of  Augustus.  He  returns  in  triumph 
from  Helicon,  bringing  home  his  palms,  to  found  by  his  native  stream  a 
temple  to  Caesar  (10 — 16).  There  in  purple  clad,  he  will  celebrate 
games — chariot  and  foot-race  and  boxing  (17 — 20).  With  olive  crown 
he  will  offer  sacrifice,  and  institute  stage  plays  (21 — 25).  Carved  on 
the  doors  shall  be  exploits  of  Caesar :.  battles  in  India,  Egypt,  Asia — 
l-last  and  West  (26 — 32).  There  shall  be  statues  of  his  Trojan  ances- 
tors; and  Envy  cowed  and  dreading  infernal  torture  (33 — 39). 

12.  hiurnaeas palmas,  'palms  of  Idumaea'  {S.  of  Judaea,  where  are 
forests  of  palms);  a  well-known  badge  of  victory,  carried  by  the  general 
in  the  triumph. 

Alantua  was  Vergil's  birthplace,  on  the  Mincio  (15)  in  N.  Italy. 

13.  'The  temjjle  by  the  river'  is  .suggested  by  the  great  marble 
temple  of  Zeus  at  Olympia. 

17.  The  ])oet  is  figuratively  the  prominent  personage  at  the  festival, 
dressed  in  purple  like  the  praetor  in  his  striped  toga  at  his  own  games. 


NOTES.  63 

19.  Greece  shall  leave  Alpketis  (the  river  of  Elis,  where  Olympian 
games  were  held)  and  the  groves  of  Molorchus,  i.e.  Neniea,  a  valley 
S.  of  Corinth,  where  Herakles  was  entertained  by  a  peasant 
Molorchus  when  he  came  to  slay  the  Nemean  lion:  and  where  games 
were  held  every  two  years. 

mihi,  'for  me'  eth.  dat.  i.e.  'at  my  word'.     The  poet  creates  it  all. 

20.  crudus,  properly  'hard'  (stem  CRU-  whence  crttsta,  criidelis, 
cryslallus,  cruor '  clotted  blood ')  which  is  probably  the  meaning  both  here 
and  A.  v.  69.  Others  take  it  'raw'  (the  secondary  sense)  i.e.  untan- 
ned  hide:  but  as  the  caestus  was  a  hide-thong  weighted  with  lead, 
'hard'  seems  more  likely. 

1 1 .  The  sacrificer  was  decked  with  an  olive  wreath  of  clipped  or 
trimmed  leaves  {tonsae). 

22 — 3.  iam  nunc,  'even  now'  and  iuvat  ''tis  sweet':  he  is  as  it 
were  carried  away  by  the  vision  of  the  triumph  to  be,  and  realises  it  as 
present. 

poiiipa,  Greek  word  (from  iri/iirw  'to  send'  or  'escort')  in  its  proper 
sense  'procession'. 

24.  ul  depends  on  videre :  'or  to  see  how  the  scene  &c.' 

versis  discedat  frontibuSy  'parts  and  shifts  its  faces' :  sometimes  the 
scene  was  changed  by  titming  round  (vcrsis)  the  panel  on  a  pivot,  some- 
times by  parting  the  back  (discedcU).  These  devices  were  probably 
rarely  resorted  to,  according  to  the  Greek  original  Custom  of  having  the 
scene  of  the  play  commonly  unaltered. 

25.  'Inwoven  Britains  raise  the  purple  curtains',  an  almost  playful 
artificiality  of  expression,  describing  the  slow  rise  of  the  curtain  (which 
was  drawn  up,  not  down,  to  hide  the  stage)  with  savage  figuves 
embroidered  on  it,  as  if  \.he  figures  raised  it. 

Britanni  a.\c  simply  remote  barbarians. 

26.  Similarly  there  are  carvings  on  the  doors  of  Phoebus'  temple 
(VI.  20)  and  on  Dido's  temple  to  luppiler  is  wrought  the  story  of  Troy 
{VI.  456). 

26 — 33.  In  these  lines  the  poet  depicts  the  subjection  by  Augustus 
of  divers  nations  and  countries,  viz.  (i)  India  [Cangaridae],  (2)  Egypt 
{Nilum),  (3)  Asia,  (4)  Armenia  {Niphaten),  (5)  Parthia  and  (6),  more 
generally  and  vaguely,  the  East  andV^^iX  (utroque  ab  litore...divcrso  ex 
JiOite),  i.e.  Europe  and  Asia. 

The   historical   facts   of  Augustus'   successes   are   briefly  these,  in 
chmnological  order: 
in  42    B.C.  lie  defeated  at  Philippi  the  party  of  Brutus  and  Cassias, 

the  murderers  of  lulius  Caesar. 
„  40      ,,     he  was  successful  in  a  rather  unimportant  war  in  lltUy. 
„  36       ,,     his  generals  defeated  Sextus  Pompeius  in  .Sicily. 
„  35-34  ,1    he  carried  on  war  against  Daltnalia  ending  in  comjjlete 

subjugation. 
,,  31  ,,  came  the  great  victory  at  Aitiuin,  over  Antony  (whocoin- 
mandol  the  forces  of  the  Iia>-t)  and  CIc(j|jalra  with  the 
(Icet  of  I'.gypt.  In  the  same  year  he  marched  through  .Syria 
and  part  of  Asia  Minor  and  settled  the  alTairs  of  the  East, 
receiving  the  subnii  sion  ol  various  Oriental  tribes. 


64  VERGIL.    GEORG.    II J. 

in  30  B.C.  he   marched   through  Egyi>t,    the   expedition   ending    in 
the  complete  surrender  and  the  suicide  of  Antony  and 
Cleopatra. 
„    29    ,,    he  triumphed  at  Rome,  celelirating  only  the  victories  of 

Dal  mat  i a,  Actium,  and  Egypt. 
The  question  here  is  whether  Vergil  means   these   lines   to   be   a 
reference  to  accomplished  facts,  and  wrote  them  about  the  time  of  the 
triumph  {29  B.C.):  or  whether  they  were  written  earlier. 

If  we  take  them  as  written  in  29,  the  poetic  exaggeration  is  excessive, 
(i)  Augustus  had  no  fight  with  Indians  at  all,  (3)  he  never  'subdued' 
Asia  or  (4)  'beat  back'  Niphates  or  (5)  the  Parthian:  while  (6)  the 
'double  triumph  over  Europe  and  Asia'  is  at  once  exaggerated  and 
inaccurate  as  describing  a  triumph  to  celebrate  the  victories  of  Dalmatia, 
Actium,  and  Egypt. 

It  is  much  more  easy  to  believe  that  the  passage  was  written  while 
Augustus  was  settling  the  empire  in  31  B.C.:  just  at  a  time  when  the 
triumphant  pacification  of  the  East,  succeeding  the  series  of  victories 
nearer  home  (Philippi,  Italy,  Sicily,  Ualmatia,  Acliuui),  would  justify 
any  exultation  ;  when  the  poet's  vision  of  triumph  was  still  partly  fore- 
cast, and  the  enthusiasm  was  in  its  first  fever.  It  will  then  harmonise 
well  with  IV.  561,  on  which  see  notes. 

27.  Gangaridae,  an  Indian  tribe  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ganges. 
Qtiiriniis,  the  sacred  name  of  Romulus,  when  dead  and  deified:  the 

triumphs  of  Augustus  and  his  army  are  imaginatively  depicted  as  'the 
arms  of  conquering  Quirinus'. 

28.  ntagnutn,  adj.  'high',  'full'. 

29.  '  Pillars  towering  with  bronze  of  ships'  refers  to  the  Roman 
custom  of  commemorating  naval  victories  by  columns  with  prows  of 
ships  projecting  on  each  side,  called  rostratae  coliivinae. 

Such  a  pillar  to  commemorate  Actium  was  made  by  Augustus 
probably  of  the  bronze  from  the  triremes  themselves :  so  that  acre  is  abl. 
of  material. 

30.  Niphaten,  a  mountain  in  Armenia:  pulstim  means  'routed', 
'defeated',  a  natural  personification  of  a  place.  [There  is  no  reason  to 
suppose,  with  C,  that  V.  mistakes  Niphates  for  a  river,] 

31.  vcrsis,  'backward-fired':  the  'Parthian  arrows',  discharged 
while  llie  foe  were  flying,  were  famous. 

33.  utroque  ab  litore,  Europe  and  Asia. 

34.  The  marble  of  the  Aegaean  isle  of  Paros  was  always  the  choice 
material  of  Greek  sculpture. 

35.  Assaraciis.  son  of  Tros  (36),  mythical  ancestor  of  Aeneas,  and 
so  of  the  Iitlia  gens.  The  identification  of  the  lulii  with  the  des- 
cendants of  lulus  son  of  Aeneas  was  afterwards  worked  out  in  the 
Aeneid. 

36.  Apollo,  called  Cynthlus  from  Mt  Cynthus  in  Delos  where  he 
was  bom,  had  been  hired  by  King  Laomedon  to  build  (with  the  aid  of 
Neptune)  the  walls  oi  Troy. 

37 — 39.  The  temple  is  to  have  a  painting  or  bas-relief  representing 
S|>ite  driven  by  the  Furies  to  punishment  below,  and  affrighted  at  the 
sight  of  Cocytus,  the  torture  of  Ixion,  and  Sisyphus  rolling  his  stone. 


NOTES.  65 

This  is  a  highly  poetic  and  imaginative  rendering  of  Augustus 
crushing  discontent  and  conspiracy  at  home,  as  ?6 — 34  gives  his  triumph 
over  his  open  foes. 

The  Furies  are  connected  with  Cocytus  again  A.  vi.  374  amnemque 
severmn  Eumeniduin.     Corytus  'Wailing',  a  river  of  Tartarus. 

38.  Ixion  for  offering  violence  to  luno  was  punished  by  luppiter 
in  Hades,  being  bound  to  a  wheel  that  revolved  for  ever. 

Vergil  alone  mentions  'snakes'  as  part  of  the  horror:  tortos  suggests 
(as  Servius  explains)  that  the  snakes  were  used  for  cords  to  bind  his 
hands  and  feet  to  the  wheel. 

39.  ■  immanem,  'cruel'. 

saxum  refers  to  the  punishment  of  Sisyphus,  the  brigand-king  of 
Corinth,  who  in  Hades  had  to  roll  a  stone  for  ever  up  hill,  which  was 
always  falling  back  upon  him.  This  stone  is  here  boldly  and  expres- 
sively called  'unconquerable',  iion  exsttperabiU. 

These  two  were  stock  instances  of  sinners  tortured  below  (Ov. 
Met.  IV.  459,  X.  43  &c.),  which  explains  the  omission  of  Sisyphus'  name  : 
so  A.  VI.  616  'saxum  ingens  vol  vent  alii  radiisve  rotarum  district! 
pendent'. 

40.  Dryadum,  'the  wood  nymphs'  of  the  Greek  mythology. 
sequamur,  'track',  'seek',  a  favourite  use  of  V.  sequere  Italiam  vends 

A.  IV.  ■i,^\,  sequi  tabulata  fer  ulmos  G.  11.  361. 

41.  intactos,  'wild':  but  the  epithet  suggests  Vergil's  love  for  the 
country  as  something  'undefiled'  by  man. 

Maecenas  had  urged  V.  to  write  the  Georgics :  see  Introduction. 

42.  incohal.     This  and  not  inchoat  is  the  true  classical  spelling. 

en  age,  &'C.  C.  takes  this  as  an  address  to  x\/aece?ias  'to  plunge 
with  him  into  the  subject'.  It  is  simpler  to  take  it  (with  W.  L.)  as  an 
exclamation  addressed  to  himself. 

43.  He  is  going  to  treat  of  animals :  and  he  expresses  this 
imaginatively  by  saying  he  is  summoned  to  Cithaeron  (mountain  on 
the  border  of  Boeotia, — the  land  full  of  cattle,  and  the  mount  of  wild 
leasts),  to  Taygetus  (mountain  of  Lac(mia  famous  for  dogs),  and 
Epidaurus  (in  Argolis,  the  land  famed  for  horses). 

46.  'To  sing  the  wars  lA  Caesar'  V,  here  sets  before  him  as 
an  aim  hereafter  to  be  fulfilled,  see  ir.  The  idea  was  carried  out 
in  a  very  different  shape,  in  the  Aeneid,  when  the  military  glory  of 
Augustus  hail  fallen  into  the  background. 

dicere.  The  iiifin.  prolate  is  used  by  V.  with  many  more  verbs 
llian  by  prose  writers  :  in  fact  with  any  verb  iniiilying  order,  wish, 
eagerness,  intention,  refusal,  &c.  Thus  V.  has  inf.  with  hortor, 
impello,  adi^redior,  insto,  parco,  ardeo,  snadeo,  tetido,  ahrogo,  Jiigio,  oro, 
monstro,  fugio,  &c. 

48.  7'ithonus,  son  of  Laomedon  and  brother  of  Priam,  a  Trujan 
prince :  but  there  is  an  inaccuracy  in  mentioning  him,  as  he  was 
descended  from  Ilus  son  of  Tros,  and  was  theref(jre  not  ancestor  of 
Aeneas  and  the  lulii,  who  came  (35)  from  Assaracus  son  of  Tros.  The 
fact  is  that  Vergil  treats  all  the  Trojan  i)riiices  generally  as  ancestors. 

[49 — -fi.  For  horses  or  cattle-breeiling  the  mothers  should  be 
chosen  with  care :  the  points  of  a  good  cow :    the  proper  ages,  from 

G.  III.   IV.  5 


66  VERGIL.    GEORG.    III. 

4  to  lo.  Always  breed  early,  while  they  are  young  :  disease,  age, 
'leath  are  always  at  hand,  and  you  will  always  have  failures  among 
your  brood.] 

49.  Olyvtpiacae.  Olympia  in  Elis,  the  scene  of  the  famous 
Olympian  games,  19. 

51.    praecipue,  'first':  let  it  be  his  chief  care. 

The  dam  should  be  grivi  {torvits)  with  ugly  or  unwieldy  {tttrpe) 
head,  and  a  burly  (pliu-ima)  neck.  The  more  slim  and  elegant 
head  and  neck  would  be  the  sign  of  a  less  strong  breed. 

53.  palt-aria,  'dewlap',  teiius,  usually  with  abl.  for  gen.  See 
Am.  X.  207  latenim  teniis. 

The  details  are  selected  from  Varro's  description  of  a  good 
breed  of  cattle  (11.  v.)  as  follows  : — He  says  they  should  be  'well 
made,  sound  of  limb,  rather  /oti!^,  big,  black-horned,  broad-browed, 
eyes  large  and  black,  ears  shaggy,  jaws  liglit  shut,  blunt-nosed,  not 
humped  but  the  back  gently  sloped,  nostrils  wide,  dark  lips,  neck 
thick  and  long,  de-wlap  (palearia)  drooping  loiv,  big  body,  stout  ribs, 
broad  shoulders,  and  long  /ail  reachim;  to  its  heels,  Sic' 

54.  nullus  modus,  ^ no  limit^ :  half  playful  exaggeration. 

55.  pes etiam,  'even  the  foot'.  He  says  'even'  because  in  this  point 
alone  he  differs  from  Varro  anil  is  following  some  other  authority. 

catnuiis,  'curving  in'. 

58.  He  says  tola,  'the  whole  body',  because  he  has  been  speaking 
0*"  details. 

59.  vestigia,  no  need  to  take  it  as  \}nQ  feet  (as  C.  is  inclined  to  do): 
for  in  walking  the  tail  would  sweep  {verrit)  not  the  feet  but  iht  footsteps. 

60.  The  infin.  after  subs,  aetas  is  a  rather  rare  const,  perhaps 
imitated  from  Greek  where  it  is  common :  somewhat  similar  are  modus 
imponere  G.  II.  73:  tempus  humo  tegere  G.  I.  213:  nullam  esse 
rationem  amittere  Cic.  Caec.  5  :  numquid  modi  est  eum  quaerere 
Plant.  Men.  233. 

Lucina  ('bringing  to  light'),  surname  of  Diana  as  the  goddess  who 
presides  over  childbirth. 

Note  the  Greek  rhythm  and  hiatus,  with  the  Greek  word  hymenaeos, 
as   often:    so   A'eptuno   Aegaeo  A.   III.    74:    Parrhasio  Euandro   xi. 

3'- 

iustos,  'regular',  'proper':  a  not  uncommon  use  of  the  word. 

62.     habilis,  'fit'. 

64.  solve,  'loose'  them  to  mate  with  the  cows:  being  kept  apart 
and  confined  of  course  till  the  proper  time. 

pecuaria,  'herds'. 

66 — 68.  The  connection  of  thought  is :  you  must  lose  no  time 
with  your  young  cows  in  breeding  (iiiventas,  primus,  suffice):  disease 
and  decay  are  the  rule  in  this  world.  The  touch  of  sadness  is 
characteristic. 

70.  ne  post  amissa  requiras  anteveui,  'lest  you  should  regret  your 
losses  afterward,  forestall  them',  i.e.  breed  largely  knowing  you  will 
have  failures:  repair  your  flock  yearly  with  promising  young  cattle, 
to  take  the  place  of  the  failures. 

[72 — 94.     Points  of  a  good  horse:  his  action,  spirit,  shape,  colour, 


NOTES.  67 

habits,  hair,  spine,  hoof — hke  the  horses  of  Pollux,  Mars,  Achilles, 
or  even  like  that  into  which  Saturnus  changed.] 

73.  ift  spent  (where  we  say  'in'  instead  of  'into'),  like  in  niimerutn, 
'in  time',  in  orbcm,  'going  the  round',  in  versum^  'in  line'.  See  note 
IV.  175. 

submtilere,  'to  rear'. 

The  word  'submitto'  is  used  of  rearing  (as  a  regular  farmer's 
term),  especially  for  breeding  purposes,  here  expressed  by  in  spem 
gentis,  'in  hope  of  progeny',  submittite  tauros  Eel.  I.  46:  pecori 
submittere  habendo  infra  1 59. 

74.  iam  inde,  emphatic  with  a  teneris :  'from  their  earliest  youth*. 

75.  gencrosi,  'high-bred'. 

76.  t/wllia,  'elastic':  the  phrase  (according  to  Servius)  is  quoted 
from  Ennius  who  uses  it  of  cranes,  'mollia  crura  reponunt':  it  is  the 
opposite  of  'stiff'. 

80.  argiitw  (properly  'clear',  from  argiio,  stem  arg-,  seen  in 
d/yyoj,  argentiitn,  argil/a,  &c.,  where  originally  it  means  'white'),  a 
word  applied  to  various  things: — 'shrill',  'keen',  'quick',  of  sounds, 
movements,  even  of  smells.  These  are  the  ordinary  uses :  but  here 
it  is  exceptional,  and  seems  to  mean  'with  sharp  lines',  'slender': 
'clean  cut'  (R.). 

82.  spadices,  'bay',  said  by  Gellius  (Latin  student  and  antiquarian 
of  2nd  cent.  A. D.)  to  be  derived  from  Greek  dialectic  word  for  'palm', 
the  colour  being  that  of  a  date. 

glaueus  (applied  to  the  willow,  G.  II.  13,  sedge,  A.  vi.  416,  and 
by  Lucr.  and  V.  to  watei),  'grey'. 

83.  gilvus  (same  stem  as  yellow,  yolk,  gold),  probably  what  we 
call  'chestnut',  rather  inaccurately. 

84.  micat,  of  quick  movement:  so  micare  digitis  of  the^rapid 
varied  movement  of  the  hands  in  the  old  game  of  mora.  It  describes 
the  rapid  changing  movement  of  the  ears  when  the  horse  is  agitated. 

85.  collectittn  ignem,  'the  gathered  fire',  a  picturesque  exaggerated 
way  of  describing  the  excited  snorts  and  pants  of  the  startled  beast. 

87.  'The  double  spine'  seems  to  mean  simply  that  the  depression 
in  the  middle  of  the  vertebrae  is  visible,  owing  to  the  horse  not  being 
loo  coarsely  made.  Varro  (11.  7.  5)  says  'a  double  spine  if  possible, 
or  at  any  rate  not  protruding'.  Xen.  {Re  Eqtiestr.  i.  12)  says  'the 
double  spine  is  softer  to  sit  upon  and  pleasanter  to  look  at'. 

89 — 94.  After  describing  the  high-bred  horse,  he  compares  it  to 
the  famous  horses  of  song  and  story. 

89.  Castor  and  Pollux,  twin  demigod?,  born  of  Leda  in  Ainyclae 
in  Laconia,  famous  as  tamers  of  horses,  had  been  presented  with  two 
divine  horses,  Xanthus  and  Cyllarus,  by  Nejitune.  Such  is  one  version 
of  the  story.  At  Rome  the  equites  regarded  these  twins  as  their 
special  patrons,  and  the  procession  on  horseback  on  15  July  ('the 
proud  Ides  when  the  squadron  rides')  was  a  festival  three  centuries  old. 

91.  The  horses  of  Arcs  (Mars)  and  Achilles  are  mentioned  in  the 
Iliad  {x\.  119:  XVI.  148). 

Achilli,  irregular  gen.  from  nom.  Achilles.     So  Ulixi,  A-  II.  7. 

93.     The   story   was   that   Saturn   fell   in   love   with  the  Occanid 

5  —  ' 


68  VERGIL.    GEORG.   HI. 

nymph  Philyra,  but  being  surprised  by  his  wife  Ops  fled  away  in  the 
form  of  a  horse.     See  550. 

94.  Pelion,  a  mountain  on  the  east  coast  of  Thessaly,  south  of 
Ossx 

The  Greek  form  of  Greek  names  is  very  common  in  Latin  poets, 
e.g.  Tytiiiarida,  Laocooiila,  Ilectora,  Ilionea,  Dido,  all  Greek  ace. 
in  Vergil. 

[95  — 122.  Old  horses  bad  for  breeding  and  racing  too.  Description 
in  vivid  detail  of  a  horse-race.  Erechtheus  inventor  of  driving  :  the 
Lapithae  of  riding.] 

96.  abde  doino,  most  simply  'keep  hid  at  home':  don't  let  him  out 
to  breed  among  the  mares. 

nee  turpi  ii^itosce  senedae  it  is  best  to  take  also  simply ;  '  favour 
not  his  inglorious  age':  don't  allow  him  to  breed  when  he  is  old  and 
broken  down.  [Servius'  way  of  taking  it,  so  that  nee  only  negatives 
turpi,  'his  not  inglorious  age',  is  harsh  and  avtilicial.] 

97—100.  General  sense:  the  old  horse  is  unfit  for  breeding;  and 
unfit  for  racing  too.  [Others  take  si  quando  ad  proelia,  &c.  also  of 
breeding  (proelia  metaphorical):  but  this  would  be  mere  repetition, 
and  he  goes  on  to  speak  at  length  of  racing.] 

100.  i.e.  first  look  to  his  spirit  and  youth. 

101.  artes,  'qualities',  'powers'. 

prolemque  parentum,  'his  ancestors':  it  is  best  to  take  prolem  a 
collective  noun,  'the  stock',  not  an  abstract,  'the  breed',  though  cither 
is  possible. 

102.  i.e.  count  up  among  his  ancestors  those  which  have  failed 
to  win  and  those  which  have  won  races.  The  horse's  'grief  at  being 
beaten  and  the  'pride'  of  victory  is  a  touch  of  the  half  playful  ex- 
aggeration we  have  so  much  of  in  the  Georgics.     .See  Introduction,  p.  25. 

103.  campum  corripere.  rapio  and  corripio  are  common  in  such 
expressions:  it  is  a  bold  and  vivid  way  of  saying  'speed  over',  'scour' 
the  plain.     [For  the  Lucretian  nonne  vides  see  250,  and  Introd.  p.  12.] 

105.  exiiltantieujue  haitrit  eorda  pavor  pulsans,  a  violent  and 
strained  though  forcible  phrase,  to  suit  the  violent  excitement  it 
describes:  'the  beat  of  fear  pulls  at  their  bounding  hearts'. 

haurit  is  literally  'drains',  'sucks'. 

The  same  phrase  is  used  again  to  describe  the  violent  excitement 
.of  the  racing  oarsmen  awaiting  the  signal  (v.  138),  where  also  102 — 3 
b  used  again. 

10^).  verbere  for  the  'lash':  abstract  for  concrete.  So  infixum 
vohius  for  the  '.sword',  A.  iv.  68y. 

108 — no.  The  idea  is  from  Homer,  //.  xxiii.  368,  where  in 
describing  a  chariot-race  he  says  'And  at  times  the  cars  ran  on  the  rich 
earth,  and  at  times  bounded  into  the  air'. 

1 1 3.  Ericluhonius  (or  shortened  Erechtheus),  ancient  mythical 
king  of  Athens,  supposed  to  be  inventor  of  the  four-horse  chariot. 

115.  The  Lapithae,  a  Tlicssalian  mythical  tribe,  in  the  Pelethronian 
forest  on  Pelion,  were  supposed  to  be  tiic  inventors  oi  riding. 

gyros,  '  riding  in  a  ring  . 

dcdere,  'gave',  i.e.  'invented'. 


NOTES.  6g 

117.  'To  gather  his  proud  steps ',  a  vivid  and  forcible  phrase  of  the 
high  action  of  a  spirited  horse. 

It  is  rather  a  harsh  strain  of  language  to  make  the  rider  do  this, 
as  Vergil  does. 

1 18.  uterque,  of  car-drawing  and  riding. 

119.  exqtiirunt,  'seek',  not  (as  at  first  sight  seems  easier)  to  draw 
or  ride,  but  to  breed  for  drawing  or  riding.  The  subsequent  context 
is  all  about  the  breeder,  and  this  interpretation  alone  makes  the  sense 
consistent  and  consecutive. 

120.  ille,  the  old  horse,  past  service  now,  however  noble  his 
origin  and  great  his  triumphs. 

III.  Epirus,  famed  for  horses,  G.  I.  59  palnias  Epiros  equa)uni: 
and  Mycenae,  the  capital  of  'Argos  the  horse- feeder',  as  Homer  calls  it. 

122.  A^eptunus  (or  Poseidon)  was  especially  the  god  of  horses: 
liippios  was  one  of  his  surnames:  and  the  Athenians  spoke  of  him 
as  having  endowed  their  land  with  its  fine  horses  (Soph.  O.  C.  712). 

[123 — 137.  Feed  up  the  male,  and  keep  the  mares  on  scanty  diet 
and  hard  exercise.] 

124.  pingui  used  as  subst.  'flesh':  we  have  similar  collocations 
in  deserta  per  ardua  291,  plurirnus  volitatts  147. 

126.  Jlorentes,  in  its  literal  sense  'flowery'. 

127.  superesse,  'to  be  strong  enough':  rather  strained  usage. 

128.  ietttnia,  'gauntness'. 

129.  ipsa  armenla,  i.e.  the  mares;  which  have  to  be  exercised 
and  kept  on  short  diet,  to  make  tliem  more  likely  to  be  fertile. 

133 — 4.  i.e.  at  the  threshing  time,  in  the  summer.  This  seems 
rather  late  for  breeding. 

135 — 7.  'This  they  do,  that  the  fertile  soil  be  not  blunted  by 
surfeit,  nor  the  furrows  choked  and  clogged,  but  may  take  eagerly  the 
seed,  and  store  it  deep  within '. 

The  fertility  of  the  animals  is  given  under  the  common  metaphor 
of  a  field. 

[138 — 156.  When  the  cows  are  in  calf,  spare  them  work,  give 
them  quiet  and  the  best  grass.  And  that  pest  the  gadfly  of  Lucania — 
which  luno  sent  against  Ino — you  must  keep  ofl"  your  pregnant  cows, 
feeding  them  in  the  cool  of  morning  or  evening.] 

138.     cadere,  'to  cease',  'to  sink'. 

141.  sit  passus,  'would  sufler',  potential:  a  gentle  way  of  saying 
"must  not';  so  non  quisquam  ruoneat  G.  i.  457. 

142.  fluvias  iniiare  rapaces,  'swim  into  the  whirling  streams'  in 
order  to  drink.  They  must  be  spared  all  violent  exertion — drawing, 
leaping,  running,  swimming. 

145.  prociibel,  'falls  afar'.  The  subjunctives  are  the  final  use 
after  the  relalive  ubi. 

146.  Silarus,  a  river  between  Campania  and  Lucania,  flowing 
by  the  north  end  of  the  mountain  Alburnus  into  the  gulf  of  I'aestuui  : 
the  N.E.  face  of  Alburnus  is  drained  by  the  V'anager,  which  flows  into 
tl»e  Silarus. 

147.  volilans,  'a  fly'. 

aiilo...oe>triim.  'the  gad-fly',  or  large  horse-fly. 


70  VERGIL.    GEORG.   III. 

148.  To  say  tli.it  the  Greeks  have  'changed'  the  name  to  oestrum 
is  a  loose  use  of  language,  when  he  only  means  that  'oestius'  is  the 
Greek  name  for  the  gadlly.  Seneca  (quoted  by  L.)  writes  (Ep.  vi.  6. 
•2)  that  this  was  an  example  of  a  Greek  word  ousting  a  native  Roman. 
In  fact  he  treats  asilits  as  an  obsolete  word.  L.  infers  that  it  had 
become  so  since  Vergil's  day.  But  V.  was  fond  of  old  words  and  local 
words,  and  this  may  be  one. 

149.  silvis,  'through  the  woods',  poetic  use  of  local  abl.  without  prep. 
acerba  adverbial  use  of  ace.  (internal  ace.)  particularly  used  by  poets 
with  verbs  of  bodily  action :  iona  tucns,  dulct  ridens,  miserabile 
insultans,  acerba  fretnens,  immane  fremens,  serum  canit,  &c. 

152.     monstro,   'scourge'  (R.). 

The  reference  is  to  the  story  of  lo,  daughter  of  Inachus,  of  which 
Ovid's  version  is  as  follows  [Met.  I.  588) :  luppiter  loved  lo,  but  fearing 
the  jealousy  of  luno,  changed  her  into  a  heifer.  luno  begged  for  the 
heifer  as  a  gift,  and  handed  her  over  to  Argus  (a  hundred-eyed  monster) 
to  watch.  luppiter  sent  Mercury  to  kill  Argus,  and  then  luno  pursued 
the  heifer  lo  with  a  gadfly. 

155.  pecori,  armenta,... h'ldXns,  usually  as  here  after  a  pause  :  G.  II. 
144  tenent  oleae,  armetitaqite :  A.  I.  16  Samo :  hie  illius  arma  :  ib.  405 
et  vera  incessu  patuit  dea.     llle  ubi  matrem,  &c. 

[157 — 178.  The  calves  must  be  branded,  and  divided  into  breeding, 
working,  sacrificial  cattle.  The  working  cattle  train  from  the  first  :  to 
bear  the  collar,  to  run  together,  to  drag  weights,  first  light,  then  heavy. 
The  proper  food  for  the  calves:  don't  use  all  the  milk.] 

158.  gentis,  '  the  st(  ck  ' :  all  careful  farmers  who  breed  must  brand 
the  young  so  as  to  see  which  turn  out  best. 

159.  quos  malint  is  indirect  quest,  depending  on  the  sense  oi  the 
preceding  line:  'They  breed  them. ..[to  mark]  which  ihey  prefer  to 
rear  &c. ' 

submit  to,  73. 

pecori  habendo,  '  for  breeding '. 

In  these  two  lines  he  is  thinking  of  the  males  :  the  breeding  hulls, 
the  victims,  and  the  draught  o.xen.  The  rest  (cetera)  would  be  the 
heifers  and  the  young  oxen  to  be  killed  for  meat :  and  these  are  to  be 
sent  undistinguished  into  the  pasture. 

163 — 5.  The  point  of  these  lines  is  the  half  playful  solemnity  with 
which  V.  uses  words  rather  more  serious  and  elevated  than  would 
naturally  be  used  of  bullocks  :  studium  ('service'),  hortare,  faciles  aitimi 
iuvenum  all  illustrate  this. 

164.     iam  vitulos  together :  '  when  but  calves*. 

166.  circlos  contracted  (like  pocla,  pericla,  &c.)  from  circulus:  only 
found  here. 

168.  ipsis  e  torquibus  aptos  iunge  pares,  '  yoke  them  in  pairs,  fastened 
by  the  collars  themselves':  i.e.  don't  have  a  real  yoke,  or  tie  their  horns 
together,  but  (after  each  is  accustomed  to  his  own  collar)  tie  the  collars 
together,  and  train  them  to  run  evenly. 

1^0.  illis,  dat.  of  agent  (in  imitation  of  the  Greek  use  with  perf. 
pass,  and  aorist)  commonest  after  participle,  regnata  Lycurgo  (A.  III. 
14),  mihi  iuncta  manits  (VIII.   169),  quaesitum  matri  (ix.  565):    but 


NOTES.  7T 

also  after  present    pass.,  tnalis   habitantur  moenia   Grais  A.   ui.  39S. 
See  6. 

rotae  inanes,  'unladen  wheels':  it  might  be  an  empty  cart  (C.)  or 
more  simply  the  mere  framework  (two  axles  joined  by  a  beam),  such  as 
are  used  for  carrying  logs. 

171.  summo  pulvere,  'in  the  surface-dust':  the  weight  being  so 
light. 

172.  He  is  thinking  of  //.  V.  838  iii-ya.  5'  l^paxe  (priyivos  a|w«' 
^pidoavviQ,  '  the  beechen  axle  groaned  with  the  weight '. 

1 73.  Umo  aerens,  '  bronze-plated  pole  '  to  increase  the  weight. 

175.  vescas,  'slender':  Ovid  {Fast.  in.  446)  tells  us  that  it  was  a 
rustic  word,  used  to  mean  'small'.  So  Plin.  N.  H.  vii.  8r  corpore 
vesco  sed  eximiis  viribus.     V.  uses  it  again  IV.  131  for  poppy  seed. 

1 76.  frumenta  sala,  '  the  young  corn  ' :  perhaps  as  Servius  says,  the 
mixture  of  spelt,  barley,  vetch,  and  pulse  known  3i?,  farrago,  205. 

[179 — 208.  Rules  for  the  war-horse  and  race-horse.  Accustom 
them  to  the  noise  (of  arms,  trumpets,  &c.),  train  them  to  harness,  to 
their  paces,  till  they  fly  like  the  ever-swifter  north  wind.  When  well 
trained,  feed  them  well  :  not  before.] 

1 79.  studium,  '  your  desire ' :  used  in  this  line  with  ad  bella,  in  the 
next  by  a  more  natural  constr.  with  infin. 

180.  The  Olympian  games  (already  referred  to  19,  49)  were  by  the 
river  Alpheiis  in  Elis,  near  an  olive  grove  sacred  to  hippitery  and  not 
far  from  the  site  of  an  old  city  Pisa. 

182.  aminos  atquearma:  V.  is  fond  of  such  combinations  of  abstract 
and  concrete  :  sedem  et  secreta,  Jerroque  et  arte,  teli  nee  volneris  auctor, 
&c. 

183.  tractuque  genientem  ferre  retain,  '  to  bear  the  rumbling  of  the 
dragged  wheel ' :  tractu  abl.  after  gem. 

189.     invalidwi  et.     Syllable  lung  in  arsis,  as  often  in  V. 
inscius  aevi  is   most   simply  taken  (with   C.)    'ignorant  of  life': 
i.e.  simply  'inexperienced'. 

192.  fow/oji'/jj,  '  regular '. 

iiniutque...crurum,  'and  ply  with  winding  curves  his  thighs  in 
turn  ',  elal)orate  but  expressive  plirase. 

193.  laboranti,  the  'seeming elTort'  is  due  to  the  strong  but  repressed 
movement  of  the  trained  horse. 

cursibus  auras  vocet,  '  challenge  the  breezes  with  his  speed  ', 

194.  The  rhythm  expresses  the  bounding  gallop  when  the  pressure 
is  removed. 

196.  Hyperborei  are  the  fabulous  Homeric  people  who  live 
'  beyond  the  north  wind  '.  Here  it  is  a  poetic  term  for  '  North  '.  So 
381.  IV.  517. 

densHS  generally  taken  to  mean  '  strong  ',  '  with  force  concentrated  ': 
but  it  is  probably  a  poetic  rendering  of  the  look  of  a  storm  from  the 
north,  with  close  packed  clouds :  hence  the  north  wind  is  himself 
called  '  thick '. 

197.  differt,  'spreads':  not  'scatters',  'disperses',  as  some  lake 
it,  because  that  would  not  make  sense  with  .Scythiae  hi  ernes :  for  the 
poet  must  mean  that  the   'Scythian  storms'  are  brought,  not  dispersed, 


72  VERGIL.    GEORG.   II L 

liy  the  north  wind.  In  Luci.  i.  ^-|l  ingentesque  ruit  naves  et  nithila 
differ/,  the  use  is  amhiguous. 

ariiia,  '  rainless '. 

198.  'The  floating  (ielils ',  or  'watery  plains',  is  Lucretian  for  the 
•sea'. 

201.  The  simile  describes  the  storm-signs  in  order  :  first  the  clouds 
overcast  the  sky  from  the  north:  then  'light  gusts'  over  the  corn  and 
the  sea  :  then  the  tree-tops  rustle  and  '  long  breakers '  come  in  :  last 
comes  Aiptilo  and  yuve/>s  land  and  sea. 

202.  hinc,  'afterward',  'soon':  the  previous  description  (up  to 
the  simile)  having  dealt  with  his  training :  now,  the  training  over,  the 
horse  will  be  good  for  race  or  war — which  he  expresses  in  his  usual 
ornate  way. 

Elei.     See  19 

203      agd,  'force  ,  'pour'. 

204.  molli,  '  docile  '. 

esseduvi,  the  Celtic  war-chariot,  used  by  Gauls  and  Britons :  it  is  a 
Celtic  word.     Belgae  were  Gauls  of  the  north. 

205.  crassa  farrat^ine,  '  rich  mash  ',  farrago  being  a  compound  of 
various  kinds  of  fodder,  mostly  poorer  sorts  of  grain. 

2c6 — 7.     i.e.  if  you  give  them  mash  before  taming. 

208.  The  lupatum  freniiin  (or  Itipatmn  merely)  was  a  curb  jagged  like 
a  wolf's  jaw.  Ovid  and  Martial  also  use  the  word  as  a  substantive  : 
Horace  Od.  I.  viii.  6  has  '  lupatis  temperet  ora  frenis'. 

[209 — 241.  Keep  both  cattle  and  horses  from  the  female.  Descrip- 
tion of  a  fight  for  a  cow,  between  two  bulls.  The  defeated  one  goes 
away  alone,  and  practises  to  renew  the  battle.] 

209.  iiiduslria,  '  care  ',  on  the  part  of  the  heifer. 

2(4.  satura,  'abundant',  'plentiful':  i.e.  where  there  is  plenty  of 
fodder. 

216 — 7.  It  is  better  to  read  these  lines  without  stop,  so  that  the 
whole  sense  is  : — 

'  The  female  with  the  sight  of  her  inflames  him  and  wastes  his 
strength,  nor  suffers  him  to  remember  woods  nor  pasture, — and  sweet 
indeed  are  her  charms — and  often  &c.' 

This  use  of  the  pronoun,  grammatically  superfluous,  is  common  in 
Vergil  for  emphasis  :  particularly  in  this  concessive  sense  with  quidem, 
or  (amen:  e.g.  A.  V.  186  scopulofpie  propinquat,  nee  tota  tamen  ille 
j)rior :  IX.  796  nee  tendere  contra  {ille  quidein  iioc  cupiens)  potis  est... 
1.  3  I-avinaque  veiiil  lilora,  nuiltum  ?7/tf...iactatus... 

Otherwise,  if  we  put  a  stop  at  herbae  (with  C.and  others), ?/,  'even', 
comes  in  awkwardly,  and  the  whole  sentence  is  much  less  natural. 

219.  Sila,  a  large  wooded  range  in  S.  of  Italy  reaching  to  the  straits 
of  Messina.  The  MSS.  here  give  silva,  a  natural  corruption  :  but 
.Si-rvius  (juotes  the  reading  Sila,  and  the  jiassage  in  A.  Xil.  715 — 722, 
which  is  clearly  imitated  and  elaborated  from  this,  makes  Sila  highly 
probable  if  not  certain. 
,    222.     Note  the  weighty  sound,  mass  thrusting  against  mass. 

223.  longus  Olymptis.  Vergil  is  imitating  Homer /[zo(fp6j"OXu|t7ros : 
but  Homer  meant  the  'high  mount',  while  Vergil's  phrase  is  poetic  for 


NOTES.  73 

the  'far-stretching  heavens'.  Olympus  even  in  the  Odyssey  had  ceased 
to  be  the  earthly  mountain  :  and  was  regularly  used  by  after-poets  for 
Juaven. 

124.  bellanies  in  prose  would  bedat.  or  gen. :  but  in  poetry  the  use 
of  ace.  inf.  is  looser. 

228.  Note  the  charactenstic  touch  of  pity  and  pathos  in  stabula 
aspecians. 

230.  All  the  best  MSS.  have  feniix,  which  R.  F.  L.  retain  :  but 
elsewhere /^«/jr  means  'nimble',  'swift':  and  so  Vergil  himself  uses 
'\\.,  pemicibiis  cdis  A.  IV.  180  :  per^ticibus  ignea  plantis  XI.  718  :  and  in 
this  book  93.  The  attempt  to  give  it  a  new  meaning  '  persistent '  (per- 
niti)  is  neither  suitable  to  the  sense,  the  usage,  or  even  the  derivation. 
On  the  other  hand  the  early  correction /e:rw<7j:  (adopted  by  H.  F.  \V.  C. 
K.  &c.)  gives  the  sense  required. 

instrato,  neg.  adj.  '  un-spread ',  i.e.  'bare':  the  only  instance  of  this 
use. 

232.  irasci  in  cornua  discit  (lit.  'learns  to  rage  into  his  horns'),  a 
bold  and  powerful  phrase  translated  from  Eur.  Bacch.  743  ko.%  Ktpa.% 
dv/xov/jievoi :  it  describes  the  lowerings  and  thrustings  of  the  head,  the 
well-known  first  signs  of  anger  in  a  bull,  'and  learns  to  threaten  with 
angry  horn,  leaning  against  a  tree,  and  vexes  the  winds  with  thrusts, 
and  pawing  up  the  sand  prepares  for  battle '. 

236.    stgna  move/,  military  metaphor,  half  playful : '  breaks  camp'  (R.). 

238.     sinum,  'the  fold',  a  beautiful  word  for  the  long  curving  wave. 

The  unusual  rhythm  of  these  lines  with  the  late  pauses  and  light 
caesuras  expresses  the  suspense  and  breaking  of  the  wave. 

24 1 .  alte  suhiectal,  '  tosses  on  high  '. 

[242 — 283.  Great  is  the  power  of  love  on  all.  The  lioness  :  the 
bear,  the  boar,  the  tiger,  nothing  will  stop  a  horse.  What  of  man? 
He  fears  nor  nighi  nor  sea  nor  storm.  Leander  will  seek  Hero.  So 
the  lynx,  the  wolf,  the  dog,  the  stag.  More  excited  than  all  are  the 
mares :  tale  of  their  being  impregnated  by  the  wind  :  and  the  superstition 
of  the  hippomaties.\ 

242.  Notice  the  -que  superfluous  and  elided  before  next  line:  Vergil 
often  has  some  reason  for  this  metrical  peculiarity  in  the  sense:  e.g.  G. 
I.  295  decotjiiit  umorein  suggests  boiling  over:  A.  I  v.  629  pugncnt  ipsi- 
que  it<'poteS(/ue,  of  unending  feud  :  G.  III.  377  congest aipie  robora  tolas- 
qiie...ubiios,  of  the  huge  firewood. 

145.     non  alio,  'no  other '  than  the  time  of  pairing. 
247.     inforinfs,  '  shaiieiess ',  'unwieldy'. 

249.  male  erratur,  i.e.  'tis  ill  to  wander':  pass,  impers.  of  motion- 
verbs,  a  common  Lat.  idiom. 

250.  noiitie  vides.     See  Introduction,  p.  12. 

251.  Coii:-,truction  after  Vergil's  manner  (much  developed  later)  is 
artificialised  :  'odor'  the  scent  (of  the  marcs)  is  half  personified,  and 
brings  '  tile  well-known  whiffs '  (aurae). 

254.  Common  poetic  exaggeration  :  'seizing  and  whirling  moun- 
tains in  their  tide'.  .So  Ihoneus  hurls  ittgenti  fragmine  mantis  A.  IX. 
569:  the  Trojan  war  is  the  'clash  of  Europe  and  Asia'  (vii.  224): 
Alicclo  tlie  jury  has  'a  thousand  names',  VII.  337,  &c. 


74  VERGIL.    GEORG.   III. 

■255.     Sabdliats,  i.e.  the  boar  from  Sabine  Apennines. 

256.    prosubigit,  '  ploughs  up  in  front '. 

757.  A/wf  fl/r/«^  ;///«(-, 'on  either  side':  durat,  '  hardens ',  evidently 
by  rubbing.  It  was  an  old  superstition  (found  as  early  as  Aristotle 
Hist.  An.  VI.  17)  that  the  boar  dcHberately  hardened  his  skin  for  battle 
by  riibbins,'  against  trees  and  daubing  himself  in  the  mud.  Pliny  repeats 
the  statement. 

25S.     quid,  in  climax,  often  without  the  verb. 

259.  abruptis,  'bursten':  choicer  word  for  pres.  part,  'bursting', 
so  rupto  turbine  A.  II.  46  :  XII.  451  abrupto  sidere. 

The  whole  description  {a  fine  example  of  the  emphatic  grand  style) 
refers  to  the  well-kpown  tale  of  Leander  who  swam  every  night  across 
the  Hellespont  to  visit  the  maiden  Hero  whom  he  loved:  till  one  night 
he  was  drowned. 

263.  super,  prep.  '  on  his  cruel  pyre ',  is  the  simplest  way  of  taking 
it :  in  A.  IV.  308  7iec  morilura  tenet  crudeli  fiincre  Dido  we  have  a  very 
similar  line  differently  constructed,  as  often  happens  in  V. 

264.  The  lynx  is  sacred  to  Bacchus  as  being  one  of  the  wild  beasts 
that  drew  his  car  on  his  Indian  triumph-journey :  tigers  and  panthers 
are  also  spoken  of. 

267.     tnentem  dedit,  'inspired'. 

The  story  was  that  Glaucus,  son  of  Sisyphus,  kept  racing  mares  at 
Potniae  in  Boeotia,  which  were  not  allowed  to  breed.  Venus  wroth 
with  him,  as  having  been  slighted,  made  the  mares  go  mad  and  devour 
him. 

269.  Gargara,  highest  peak  of  the  famous  range  of  Ida. 

270.  Ascanittm,  a  stream  that  carries  the  water  of  a  lake  in  Bithynia 
into  the  Propontis. 

275.  The  ancients  believed  that  mares  could  be  made  pregnant  by 
the  wind  :  the  most  scientific  of  the  ancients,  Aristotle,  says,  f/ist.  An. 
VI.  18: — 'They  are  said  to  be  filled  with  the  wind. ..and  when  this 
happens  they  run  away  from  the  rest  of  the  herd... neither  to  the  East 
nor  West,  but  to  the  North  or  South  '. 

27y — 8.  Eurus,  'Ea.st  wind',  Boreas,  'N.  wind',  Caurus  {ox  Corns 
A.  V.  126),  'N.  W.  wind',  Auster  (scorcher),  'S.  wind'. 

Note  Borean,  Greek  form :  so  Heclora,  Naxon,  Anchisen,  Sidona, 

&c. 

280.  '  Then  it  is,  that  what  the  shepherds  truly  call  hippomanes,  a 
foul  issue,  drips  slowly  from  their  groin  '. 

The  emphasis  of  this  line  (in  deinuni  and  vera)  is  controversial.  The 
same  name  '  hippomanes '  was  given  to  a  tubercle  on  the  forehead  of 
a  foal  at  birth,  which  was  a  powerful  love  charm  ('nascentis  equi  de 
fronte  revol.sus  Et  matri  praereptus  amor'  A.  IV.  515).  The  mare 
devoured  it  if  allowed  to  do  so,  and  if  not  went  mad. 

Vergil  implies  that  the  real  hippomanes  was  this  discharge  from  the 
wind-impregnated  mares,  which  was  likewise  used  in  witchcraft.  Aris- 
totle gives  the  name  to  both. 

282 — 3.  w<w<rrrt,  'stepdame',  the  typical  poisoner.  The  end  of  this, 
and  the  next  line,  occur  G.  11.  128.  In  line  283  non  innoxia  looks  as 
ii  the  hippomanes  was  a  poison  as  well  as  a  charm. 


NOTES.  75 

Notice  miscuerunt :  so  stethunt,  iulennit,  dedHrunt. 

[284 — 294.     But  time  is  short:  it  remains  to  tell  of  sheep  and  goats.] 

285.  arnore,  '  love  '  of  my  theme. 

286.  armentis,  '  herds  ',  of  cattle  and  horses. 

287.  agitare,  'treat  of. 

289.  animi.  There  is  a  difficulty  about  the  explanation  of  this 
case.  If  it  were  only  used  in  such  phrases  as  aniens  animi  (iv.  203), 
praestans  animi  (XII.  19),  we  could  explain  it  as  the  genitive  of  relation: 
the  '  thing  in  point  of  which  "  the  adj.  is  applied.  This  genitive  Vergil 
uses  a  good  deal,  no  doubt  in  part  from  the  influence  of  Greek  where  it 
is  common. 

But  animi  is  also  used  with  verbs  and  participles  :  thus  angere  animi 
(Cic.  Verr.  Ii.  34),  ctticiare  aiiifui  (Plaut.  Mil.  1062,  1280,  &c.),  ne 
fallit  animi  (Lucr.  I.  136),  poidere  animi  (common  in  Cic).  It  is  also 
used  with  a  large  number  of  adj.,  much  more  frequently  than  other 
genitives  :  thus,  anxitis,  caecus,  diibitis,  egregius,  felix,  integer,  lassus, 
maturus,  praeceps,  &c. 

The  conclusion  is  strongly  probable  that  this  is  a  survival  of  the 
locative  (well  known  in  httmi,  domi,  cordi,  &c.),  and  that  it  simply 
means  'in  the  mind',  not  'in  respect  of  mind'  (gen.).  It  is  just  in 
such  words  as  these  that  the  locative  use  would  become  ingrained  in 
the  language,  and  remain,  when  the  locative  case  elsewhere  disappeared, 
and  the  locative  meanings  were  rendered  by  the  abl. 

See  the  complete  note  on  the  word  in  Roby's  Lat.  Gram.  1321. 

verbis  ea  vincere,  'to  treat  these  themes  with  success'.  The  phrase 
is  Lucretian,  see  Introduction. 

291.  Parnasiis,  the  muses'  mountain,  Castalia,  the  muses'  spring. 

292.  iugis,  'over  the  heights',  poetic  local  abl. 

[295 — 338.  Housing  of  sheep  in  winter,  food  and  water  and  folds 
for  goats,  use  of  goatskins.  Goats  will  come  home  of  themselves, 
so  their  stalls  should  be  comfortable  and  food  good.  In  spring  both 
flocks  go  out  to  pasture.  In  the  heat,  seek  water  and  shade  :  later 
give  them  more  water  and  then  food  again  till  evening.] 

294.  Pales,  line  t.  There  is  perhaps  a  certain  playfulness  in  the 
extra  solemnity  which  Vergil  assumes  when  he  is  going  to  speak  of 
sheep  and  goats  — the  most  difficult  part  of  the  farmer's  breeding  (288). 
This  idea  is  confirmed  by  the  stately  expression  Ituipiens  edico  in  the 
next  line. 

295.  edico  with  ace.  inf.  instead  of  ut :  see  on  46. 

296.  dum  with  present  in  the  sense  of  /ill  is  rare  ;  cf.  Ter.  Ilatit. 
IV.  7.  5  tu  hie  nos  dum  eximus  opperibere. 

297.  felicum,  'fern'  (filix  seems  to  be  the  true  classical  spelling). 
299.    podagra   (irob-    foot,    ayp-    seize),    'foot-rot'.      It    is    usually 

employed  of  human  beings  and  means  'gout'. 

302.  vends,  obviously  the  northerly  wind,  as  it  is  'liirned  to  the 
south'  (ad  medium  conversa  diem,  303). 

303.  olim  should  perhaps  be  taken  with  frigidus  (as  K.):  'when 
Aquarius  ofttitnes  cold  is  now  sinkmg',  &c. 

304.  Aquarius,  'the  Waterer',  is  the  sign  of  the  zodiac  so  named; 
Uie  stars  which  formed  the  constellation  set  in  the  middle  of  February. 


76  VERGIL.    GEORG.    TTl. 

txtrrmo  inrorat  anno,  'betlews  the  closing  year',  because  Aquaiius 
was  so  named  as  l)elonjj;ing  to  llie  rainy  season,  and  the  old  Roman  year 
ended  witli  F'ebruary. 

305.  hae,  'goats':  the  other  reading  haec  not  such  good  sense. 

306.  General  sense :  goats  are  equally  useful,  though  the  best 
sheep  may  be  very  precious. 

JMilesia.     The  fleeces  of  Mihlus  (rich  Greek  town  on  the  coast  of 
Caria)  were  famous,  as  were  the  pur[)le  dyes  of  Tyre, 
magna  tnutentur,  'are  sold  for  a  great  price'. 

307.  incocta  riibores,  'steeped  in  the  dyes',  the  accus.  being  the 
Greek  use  of  the  ace.  after  a  passive,  which  is  really  an  elastic 
extension  of  the  active  objective  ace.  to  the  passive  voice. 

Thus  the  Greeks  say: 

Active  Passive 

tTiTp^iru)  ffoi  Trjv   apxV"  liriTlTpaxpai   ttji'   apxV" 

iyypd<pu  T^  54\T<f}  ^wOrj/JLara  5Atos  iyyeypa/j./x^i'T)  ^vvdrjiiara 

This  usage  the  Roman  poets  imitated,  as  well  as  the  ace.  after 
the  middle,  which  they  very  likely  did  not  distinguish  from  the  Other. 
Other  instances  of  the  ace.  after  passive  axe.  fusus  barbam  A.  X.  838: 
inscripti  nomina  regiim  Eel.  III.  106:  per  pedes  traiectus  lora  A.  II. 
772  :  caesariitn  effusae  G.  IV.  337  :  caertileos  itnplexae  crinibus  anptes 
G.  IV.  482. 

308.  hinc,  from  the  goats. 

310.     pressis  tnaniniis,  i.  e.  at  the  next  milking. 

312.  Cinyphii  hirci:  the  goats  of  the  river  Cinyps,  in  the  north 
of  Africa,  running  into  the  Syrtis,  were  a  good  breed. 

tondent,  'they  shear',  i.e.  the  shepherds:  nom.  omitted  because 
easily  supplied. 

313.  ttsum  castroriun  is  illustrated  by  a  passage  in  Silius  Italicus 
(ill.  276),  who  describes  the  Cinyphii,  when  in  camp,  as  'covering  their 
shoulders  with  the  coarse  skin  of  the  goat'. 

314.  Lycaeus,  mountain  in  Arcadia. 

317.  The  rare  rhythm  of  the  overhanging  spondee,  ducitnt, 
expresses  almost  playfully  the  slow  approach  ol  the  she-goats  heavy 
with  milk. 

320.  virgea,  'of  shoots':  he  had  spoken  of  arbutus  (301)  as  the 
food  for  goats. 

324.  Lucifer,  'the  Light-bringer',  was  the  Roman  version  of 
iftu)(r<p6pot,  the  Greek  name  for  the  morning-star  (the  planet  Venus). 

325.  carpai/ius,  used  like  carpere  prata,  carpere  aelhera,  carpere 
litora,  'let  us  range'.     So  G.  IV.  311  aera  carpere. 

327.  sitim  coUei^erit,  'has  gathered  thirst',  picturesque  personifi- 
cation: 'the  fourth  hour  of  heaven'  is  ten  o'clock,  by  which  time  the 
Italian  summer  sun  is  very  hot. 

330.  ilignis,  no  doubt  conduits  and  troughs  made  of  ilex  wood 
would  last  longest.  The  ilex  is  a  common  Italian  tree,  and  the  wood 
is  hard  and  close. 

332.     lovis,  the  oak  was  sacred  to  Jove. 

(Notice  the  long  syllable,  by  stress  of  the  foot,  before  vowel.) 


NOTES.  77 

335.     tenues,  'the  thin  stream'  whicli  ran  down  the  ilex-conduit. 

337.  The  moon  is  (poetically)  the  source  of  dew. 

338.  'And  the  shores  echo  the  halcyon's  cry,  the  thickets  the 
warbler's  song '. 

The  accusatives  are  a  kind  of  extended  cognate,  where  an  allied 
notion  is  substituted  for  the  true  cognate.  Similar  expressions  are 
saltan  Cyclopa  (Hor.),  'to  dance  (in  character  of)  Cyclops',  vox 
hominem  sotiai,  'voice  sounds  human,'  A.  I.  328. 

The  alcyone  or  alcyon  is  generally  identitied  with  the  kingfisher ; 
and  the  author  of  the  delightful  book  'A  Year  with  the  Birds'  points 
out  that  the  description  of  the  alcyon  both  in  Pliny  and  Aristotle 
agrees  with  the  appearance  of  the  kingfisher. 

The  same  authority  gives  reason  for  thinking  the  acalanthis  is  not, 
as  traditionally  translated,  the  goldfinch,  but  more  probably  one  of  the 
'warblers',  the  reed- warbler,  or  sedge- warbler,  or  willow-wren. 

[339 — 348.  The  immense  pastures  of  Africa :  flocks  often  un- 
slu-liered  a  month  at  a  time.] 

340.  mapalia  were  the  huts  of  the  Numidians,  and  are  thus 
described  by  Sallust  {Jug.  18):  'the  houses  of  the  rustic  Numidae, 
which  they  call  mapalia,  rather  long,  with  curved  sides,  resembling 
the  hulls  of  ships'. 

m.  raris  habitata  tectis  is  Vergilian  and  elaborate  for  'scattered 
huts'. 

343.     hospitiis,  'shelter'. 

345.  Amyclae  in  Laconia ;  the  Laconian  dogs  were  famous,  as 
were  also  the  Cretan  archers. 

These  are  good  examples  of  the  'ornate'  or  'literary'  epithet, 
intended  rather  to  remind  the  reader  of  Greek  poetry  than  to  express 
the  actual  truth.  Thus  the  acorn  is  'Chaonian',  the  bow  'Parthian', 
the  myrtle  'Paphian',  the  poppy  'Lethean',  &c.    See  Introduction,  p.  19. 

347.     iniusto,  'cruel'. 

hosti,  dat.  in  relation  to  the  whole  sentence  (ethic)  :  'and  before 
the  foe  unawares  he  stands  in  line,  his  camp  pitched'. 

[349 — 383.  Par  different  in  Scythia  and  tlie  north.  Description 
of  a  northern  winter :  hard  frost,  frozen  wine,  icicles  on  the  beard, 
cattle  and  stags  lost  in  drifts:  hunting  in  the  snow:  merry  life  in 
underground  caverns,  with  good  fires,  drink  and  games.] 

349.  at  non,  i.e.  'not  thus'  they  do.  The  verb  easily  supplied. 
So  G.  IV.  530.  A.  IV.  520. 

Maeotia.     The  sea  of  Azov  was  called  Alaeotis  palus. 

These  names  .Scythian,  .Macotian,  Ihster  (the  Danube)  and  Khodope 
(the  mountain  range  of  Tlirace  nearest  the  sea)  are  simply  exjjressions 
for  the  North  borrowed  from  Greek. 

351.  redit,  'turns':  for  the  Khodope  range  has  an  easterly  branch 
as  well  as  a  n(jrtherly. 

axis,  'the  pole',  often  for  the  north:  so  G.  \\.  2ji  quae  terga 
obverterit  axi. 

.'"55-  ifptt-mque  aduirgit  in  tihias,  'heaped  seven  ells  high'  (R.). 
With  characteristic  love  of  variety  he  says  the  'earth  rises'  with  the 
snow. 


78  VERGIL.    GEORG.   III. 

357.  pallentes,  'dim':  similarly  the  word  is  often  used  of  the 
under  world. 

359.  Oceani.  This  passage  is  a  Homeric  imitation  (Od.  XI.  14, 
'There  is  the  land  and  city  of  the  Kimmerioi,  covered  with  mist  and 
gloom  :  nor  ever  doth  Eelios  look  on  them  with  his  beams,  neither 
when  he  mounts  the  starry  sky,  nor  when  he  returns  again  to  tlie 
earth  from  heaven')  and  Oceanus  has  here  its  Homeric  meaning,  the 
river  which  formed  the  boundary  round  the  world.  So  below,  IV.  233, 
Oceani  amiits. 

361.  ferratos  orbes  is  explained  by  plaustris:  the  'iron-shod' 
wheels  and  the  'broad'  wains  are  mentioned  to  give  an  idea  of  the 
thickness  of  the  ice  that  bears  them. 

364.  utnida,  i.e.  which  are  usually  so,  'the  liquid  wine'. 

365.  vertere,  intrans.  Vergil  uses  many  such  verbs  intrans. ,  e.g. 
addo,  inisceo,  potto,  roto,  sisto,  supero,  tendo,  urgeo,  volvo,  &c. 

Note  the  perfects  of  habitual  occurrences  (gnomic,  in  imitation  of 
the  Greek  aorist). 

370.  fnide  nova,  'strange  mass',  gives  the  picture  of  the  poor 
stags  helpless,  bewildered,  and  astonished  by  the  new-fallen  snow. 

372.  puniieae  foniiidine  pennae,  'the  scare  of  the  puri)le  feather', 
refers  to  the  custom  of  erecting  at  the  avenues  of  the  wood  lines  with 
gaudy  fluttering  feathers,  to  keep  the  game  in,  and  drive  them  into 
the  snares.     This  structure  was  appropriately  called  forinido,  'a  scare'. 

The  line  recurs  slightly  varied  A.  xu.  750. 

373.  niontetn,  of  snow. 

377.     totasque,  see  note  on  li^^.    advolvere  gnomic. 

380.  '  Mock  the  vine-juice  with  yeast  and  sour  service-berries', 
presumably  fermentum  referring  to  'beer'  and  the  sorbis  to  a  tliin 
'home-made'  wine  of  service.  (Others  take  it  as  one  dnnV.,  fermento  et 
sorbis  hendiadys.) 

381.  Hyperboreo,  196. 

septem...trioni.  Trio,  originally  said  to  be  ter-io,  a  plough-ox:  and 
the  name  septem  triones,  'the  seven  oxen',  was  given  to  the  constellation 
of  the  Great  Bear.  Hence  a  new  word  was  coined  Septemtrio  for  the 
'Great  Bear'  or  the  'North':  and  finally  the  two  Bears  were  called 
gemini  Triones.     The  true  meaning  of  trio  was  of  course  lost. 

382.  Rhipaeo.  The  unknown  and  imaginary  mountains  in  the 
extreme  north  were  called  'the  Rhipaean  hills':  afterwards  when  the 
geography  became  better  known  they  were  identified  with  hills  near  the 
source  of  the  Tanais  (Don)  in  Central  Russia.     So  iv.  518. 

383.  vela/ur  corpora,  'shroud  their  limbs',  the  Vergilian  imitation 
of  the  middle  voice  of  Greek  verbs:  so  Aen.  11.  722  insternor  pelle,  749 
cingor,  'I  gird  myself,  in.  405  velare  comas,  formam  vertitur  IX.  649, 
&C.  &c. 

See  also  note  on  307. 

saetis,  'bristles',  unusual  word  for  'shaggy  hide'. 

[384 — 393.  If  wool  is  your  object  (sheep),  beware  of  calthrops  &c. 
Choose  best  fleeces:  beware  of  a  ram  (however  white)  with  a  black 
tongue.     Story  of  Pan  and  Luna.] 

384.  lanitium,  '  wool -growing'. 


NOTES.  79 

385.  lappafqtu  triholique,  'burs  and  calthrops',  prickly  weeds. 
Notice  -ijue  (imitated  from  Homer,   e.  g.  Ad/z7rov  re    KXuTto'j'   re), 

frequent  in  Vergil  in  this  place  of  the  line,  usually  before  double  conso- 
nants, as  (ustusqw  pluviasque,  terrasque  tractusque,  ensemque  clipeum- 
quf,  font  esq  ue  Jiuviosque,  &c. 

The  prickles  would  tear  and  spoil  the  fleece:  the  over-rich  food 
would  make  it  coarse. 

386.  contimio  here  seems  to  mean  'first',  as  G,  1. 169.  It  properly 
means  'without  break  or  pause'. 

387 — 8.  The  ram  that  is  white  all  over  (ipse),  if  he  is  black  in  his 
tongue  only  (tan(um)  must  be  rejected.  Aristotle  says,  Hist.  An.  VI.  19, 
'The  lambs  are  white  or  black  according  as  the  veins  under  the  ram's 
tongue  are  white  or  black  '. 

391 — 3.  One  story  was  that  Pan,  'the  god  of  Arcadia',  beguiled  the 
moon-goddess  to  follow  him  into  the  wood,  by  changing  himself  into  a 
ram  with  a  white  fleece. 

Vergil  however  seems  to  follow  a  version  rather  different:  that  he 
won  her  love  by  the  gift  of  a  white  fleece. 

39 1 .     si  credere  dignum  est.    Vergil  f  edeems  the  grotesqueness  of  the 
story  by  these  half  apologetic  words.     So  A.  vi.   173  of  the  likewise 
rather  grotesque  tale  of  jealous  Triton  drowning  Misenus, 
aemulus  exceptum  Triton,  si  credere  dignum  est, 
inter  saxa  virum  spumosa  immerserat  unda. 

[394 — 403.  If  milk  your  object  (goats),  instructions  about  food. 
Salt  herbs  make  them  thirsty.     Milk  pressed,  and  either  sold  or  stored.] 

396.     hinc,  from  the  salt. 

398.  iam  excretos,  'from  their  birth',  lit.  'a/^^rt^  when  born',  ex- 
cretus,  an  unusual  word,  from  excerno,  'to  put  away  out'.  [Others  less 
well  take  it  from  excresco.  K.  P.  R.  read  etiani  from  one  MS.,  which 
improves  the  rhythm:  but  iam  is  wanted  for  the  sense.] 

399.  prima  adverbial  (as  so  often  with  adj.  of  position),  'from  the 
first'. 

The 'iron-pointed  muzzles'  prevent  the  kid  from  sucking,  because 
naturally  the  she-goat  objects. 

401.  premunt,  (oT  cheese. 

402.  'The  shepherd  before  dawn  bears  away  in  baskets  to  the  town'. 
I  follow  W.  L.  K.  in  adopting  Scaliger's  exportans  for  exportant. 

[If  with  C.  we  retain  the  latter,  adit  oppida  pastor  becomes  so  very 
harsh  a  parenthesis:  and  the  corruption  is  easily  explained  by  the  in- 
fluence oi  premunl,  contingunt.] 

It  also  makes  better  sense  if  we  put  a  stop  (with#IC.)  at  lucein, 
understanding  premunt:  there  is  no  likelihood  in  the  antithesis  'they 
press  what  they  milk  at  dawn,  and  sell  what  they  milk  at  evening'. 

403.  conliugunt  (Vikepar^)  expresses  the  small  amount  required,  'a 
touch  of  salt '  as  we  say. 

[404 — 413.  Dogs  and  their  food:  useful  for  hunting  wild  asses, 
hares,  deers,  and  boars.] 

404.  y««riV  jussive,  the  ordinary  tense  after  nog. 

4015.  Spartae,  345.  Molossian  dogs  (from  Kpiros  on  N.W.  coast 
of  Greece)  were  also  famous. 


8o  VERGIL.    GEORG.    III. 

406.     Whey  is  called  'rich'  or  'fat'  by  an  obvious  metaphor. 

408.  He  calls  them  iupacatos, '  rebels ',  because  those  wiio  had  fought 
the  Romans  and  refused  to  settle  would  be  just  the  men  to  become 
fierce  mountain  brigands. 

a  tirgo,  the  attack  being  secret  and  unexpected. 
Hihcros,  '  Spanish  '. 

409.  With  a  poetic  licence,  Vergil  speaking  of  Italian  farming  talks 
now  of  protection  against  the  tiiicvcs  of  the  Pyrenees,  now  of  hunting  ' 
the  (Asiatic)  wild  ass. 

411.     volutabrum,  'wallowing-Iair'. 

[414 — 439.  Smells  to  keep  off  snakes:  the  various  kinds:  viper, 
coluber,  Calabrian  snake:  ihe  latter  dangerous  in  hot  dry  weather.] 

415.  galbaniini  was  an  Asiatic  gum:  this  precept  is  from  Nicander, 
see  Introduction,  p.  17. 

chclydros,  Greek  word,  'water-snakes'. 

417.     i-a^///w,  'the  daylight '. 

421.     colla,  ace.  respect. 

423 — 4.  The  elaboration  of  phrase  here  is  meant  to  suggest  the 
intricacies  of  the  beast. 

'  When  his  mid-coils  and  trailed  tail  unwinds,  and  the  farthest  spire 
writhes  slow  along'. 

425      Calabria  is  the  wild  mountainous  region  of  S.  Italy. 

430.  atram  ingluviem,  'his  black  maw',  inglitviem  properly  the 
crop  of  a  bird. 

436.     nemoris  Jorso,  'a  wooded  ridge':  imitated  by  Hor.  2  Sat.vx. 

9'- 

437 — 9.     Vergil  uses  these  phrases  again  in  a  simile,  Aeneid  11.     The 

idea  of  the  snake  bringing  up  a  family  is  all  imaginary. 

439.  Unguis  micat  ore,  'quivers  with  his  tongue  in  his  mouth':  ore 
local  poetic  abl. ;  the  two  ablatives  rather  unusual. 

[440 — 477.  Diseases.  The  scab:  comes  from  cold,  dirt,  wounds. 
Wash  them:  use  olive-lees,  sulphur  and  drugs:  pitch,  bitumen  and  herbs. 
Best  of  all,  lance  the  sore.  If  fever  comes  on,  bleed  the  sheep's  foot. 
Signs  of  disease:  they  seek  shade,  lie  down  to  eat,  walk  slow.  Kill 
the  diseased  animal  to  prevent  contagion.  The  danger  of  spreading 
plague:  warning  of  the  great  Alpine  disaster  among  sheep.] 

442.  allius  ad  vivom  persedit,  'has  soaked  through  deep  to  the 
quick',  i.  e.  through  the  wool  down  to  the  flesh. 

447.  secundo  aiinii,  'down  the  stream':  secundus  properly  partici- 
pial, from  sec-,  'to  follow',  and  used  of  z.  current ol  vi\x  or  \ia.i<ix goitig 
with  you.     F*  the  form  aintti  see  below  note  on  I  v.  164. 

448.  amurca  (Greek  word  ifj^opyTj),  'olive-lees',  a  watery  substance 
in  the  olive,  which  was  strained  off  ihe  oil. 

449.  spuinas  argenti,  'silver  scum',«a  kind  of  slag  or  refuse  that 
scums  off  in  the  meltings  of  ore  from  silver-lead  mines. 

vivat/ue  sul/ura  /da;asque,  an  unusual  hypermeter  or  extra  syllable, 
elided  before  next  line,  like  242,  above,  but  much  stronger  instance. 
Others  read  et  sulftva  viva:  but  there  is  good  MSS.  authority,  and 
.Servius,  in  favour  of  the  text.  A  similar  ending  arbutus  horrida  Et 
occurs  G.  II.  69,  also  with  various  reading  in  ordinary  metre. 


NOTES.  81 

450.  Jdaeas,  Ida  in  the  iroad  being  famous  for  pines. 
pingties  tinguiiie,  'rich'  (i.e.  soft)  with  oil. 

451.  scilla,  'squill':  one  of  the  bulbous  plants,  long  used  as  a  drug. 
elleboros,  'hellebore',  the  famous  ancient  herb,  supposed  to  cure  mad- 
ness. 

graves,  probably  'strong-scented'. 

452.  Notice  the  characteristic  diction,  the  words  being  all  rather 
strained  and  emphatic.  '  Nor  is  there  any  help  more  potent  for  their 
troubles ',yi>r/i<«a  being  used  of  a  successful  chance  or  attempt  to  deal 
with  the  disease:  praeseiis  in  a  sense  resembling  its  common  use  of  a 
divine  aid  or  interposition:  A.  XII.  152  si  quitl  praescntius  audes:  id. 
245  signum  quo  non  praescntius  ullum. 

454-     tegendo,  'by  hiding',  i.e.,  if  it  remain  hidden. 

455.  medicas,  'healing',  'skilled',  so  A.  Xil.  402  medica  manu. 
The  word  was  doubtless  originally  general  in  sense,  of  any  skill  (connec- 
ted with  medi-lor),  and  afterwards  specialised  to  the  healing  art. 

458.  arida,  the  'parched'  fever,  a  slight  transference  of  meaning, 
but  natural  and  effective. 

460.  inter  ima  pedis,  i.e.  between  the  hoofs. 

461.  Bisaltae,  a  Thracian  tribe  near  the  river  Strymon. 

Geloni,  a  Scythian  tribe  N.  of  the  Borysthenes  or  Dnieper,  i.e.  in  the 
S.  part  of  Russia. 

462.  The  Bisaltian  flies  to  Rhodope  (349),  the  Geloni  to  the  'desert 
of  the  Getae\  a  Scythian  trii)e  N.  of  Danube,  in  the  modern  Roumania. 

463.  The  practice  of  drinking  mares'  milk  and  horses'  blood  is 
ascribed  to  various  savages  by  the  ancients  (llor.  Od.  iii.  4,  24,  Hom. 
//.  XIII.  5). 

466.  extrentam  predicative,  'and  lag  bchinil  '. 

467.  solam  gives  the  contrast  with  the  healthy  Hock. 
decedo  with  dat.  '  to  give  way  to',  'to  retire  before'. 

468.  culpam,  'the  mischief,  rather  strained  sense. 

470 — I.  'Not  so  swiftly  sweep  the  gusts  over  the  sea  bririging  the 
storm,  as  the  jilagues  of  cattle  come  swarming',  tarn  creber  corresponds 
to  quam  multae,  and  the  point  of  the  simile  is  the  quick  succession  of 
the  plagues. 

472.  aestiva,  'summer  pastures':  the  word  is  a  metaphor  from  a 
camp,  'summer  quarters'. 

474.  turn  sciat...si  quis...'he  could  tell  of  it,... whoso  should  see... ', 
rather  a  stately-poetic  way  of  quoting  his  instance.  As  he  proceeds  to 
describe  at  length,  there  had  been  some  time  before  {nunc  qiioque 
post  tanlo)  a  destructive  cattle  plague  in  the  Tyroicse  Alps  [Norica) 
extending  as  far  as  'limavus  (a  small  river  at  the  head  of  the 
Adriatic  i>et\vecn  Trieste  and  Atjuilcia,  A.  I.  2^4)  which  is  called 
'  /apys'  from  the  lapydes,  a  tribe  living  a  little  more  to  the  west,  in  S. 
I'aiinonia. 

[478 — end.  Description  of  tlie  terrible  plague:  The  victims  died  at 
the  altar:  no  proper  entrails  for  omens:  no  strength  or  blood  in  the 
animals.  Calves  died  at  jiasture:  dogs,  pigs,  horses.  .Signs:  could  not 
eat  or  drink  :  cold  sweat :  dry  skin  :  fever,  gaspin^^  breath,  bleeding  at  the 
nose.     Sometimes  cured  with   wine  through  funnel :    sometimes  made 

G.   III.   IV.  6 


82  VERGJL.    GEORG.    III. 

worse:  went  mail,  gnawed  their  own  flesh.  Jiulls  fell  dead  in  theact  of 
ploughing:  though  their  fare  had  been  simple  and  wholesome.  No  cattle 
for  sacrifice:  no  ploughing:  all  animals  forsake  their  nature.  Wolves 
fly  away,  timid  deer  ai)|iroacii,  sea  beasts  seek  shore;  seals  swim  up  the 
river.  Snakes  and  birds  ])erish:  the  wisest  are  at  fault.  It  gets  worse 
and  worse:  the  very  carcases  are  useless:  the  wool  cannot  be  siiorn  or 
woven:  if  it  is  worn,  it  brings  the  plague  on  the  wearer.] 

478.  tnorbo  cneli,  'from  the  infected  heavens':  so  A.  III.  {37 
corrupt 0  caeli  tractu. 

483.  sitis,  'fever*,  addiucerat,  'had  shrivelled':  so  we  speak  of 
skin  being  'drawn  up'. 

48.^.     conlapsa,  'sapped',  'dissolved'. 

4S7.  Both  victim  and  priests  had  a  sacred  band  of  white  wool 
{iiitiila)  wreathed  with  a  white  ribbon  (v///a). 

4(;o.     !>ii/f,  'thence',  i.e.  from  that  victim. 

Jiirae,  the  '  threads '  or  fine  ducts  at  the  extremity  of  the  liver  :  the 
appearance  of  these  fibrae  (presumably  if  unduly  large  or  abnormalj  was 
one  of  the  worst  signs  in  augury. 

492 — 3.  Emphasis  on  vix  and  ieiuna :  the  meagre  and  diseased 
victims  had  hardly  any  blood  to  shed. 

496.  blaiidis,  'gentle',  to  mark  the  contrast.    A  Lucretian  epithet. 

497.  Note  the  compressed  style:  the  line  describes  the  cough, 
(tussis),  \\\^ gasping {i\xA\Az.),  the  choking  {^wg^K),  and  the  swollen  (obesis) 
throat. 

498.  Heyne,  P.  and  others  join  stndiorutn  atque  ivimemor  herbae: 
l)ut  infelif  studioniin  (C.  K.  L.  W.  F.  &c. )  is  more  like  Vergil,  lit. 
'unlucky  in  respect  of  his  efforts ',  i.e.  his  eager  exertions  (in  the  race) 
which  brought  him  glory  {victor  ecjuus)  end  in  a  miserable  death.  We 
may  translate  '  hapless  for  all  his  effort '. 

499.  fontcs  accus.  accortling  to  the  sense:  avert iturhtm'g  equivalent 
to  '  deserts'.  Similarly  \vc  iind  exeo,  egredi,  elabi,  erumpo,  evagari  &c. 
with  ace.     (See  Roby  112  1.) 

500.  incertus,  'fitful'. 

ille  quidem,  'a  sweat  that  is  cold  when  death  is  near  ' :  for  the  use  of 
pron.  see  2  17. 

=,02.  Notice  the  accumulation  :  he  means  '  hard  to  the  touch  ',  but 
boln  ideas  are  varied  and  expressed  twice. 

504.     crudescere,  '  grows  fierce ',  lit.  '  hard  ',  of  fruit  &c. 

506.  It  is  the  groan  which  in  common  speech  is  'heavy':  but  V. 
with  characteristic  variation  elaborates  the  phrase. 

508.     obsessas,  bold  word  for  'stopped  ',  'choked'. 

510.  Lenaeos  latices,  '  wine ',  from  Lenaeus  name  of  Bacchus  (\iji'6s 
'  winepress'). 

511.  furiis  refecti  ardebant,  sharply  antithetic  phrase:  the  'new 
Strength '  was  only  the  '  fire  of  frenzy  '. 

513.  The  prayer  (to  avert  such  ills  from  the  good  and  send  such 
nia.lness  on  their  foes)  is  to  point  the  horror  f>f  the  dying  horse  devouring 
himself. 

5 1 4.  ntidis  completes  the  horror:  it  suggests  the  mad  horse 
drawing  htack  his  lips  and  'baring'  his  teeth. 


NOTES.  83 

518.  maerentem  fraterna  morte,  characteristic  touch  of  sympathy 
with  the  animal :  the  two  oxen  who  form  the  yoke  are  '  broliiers'  ami 
one  mourns  the  other. 

522.  electro,  -fjXfKrpov,  originally  'amber'  (so  probably  in  Hom.), 
afterwards  an  alloy  of  gold  and  silver  fancifully  named  after  it,  from 
the  colour.     Vergil  here  doubtless  means  '  amber '. 

ima  solvontur  latcra,  'his  flanks  fail  under  him  '  (R.). 

524.     (ievexo,  'drooping'. 

526.  Massica:  Massicus  was  a  mountain  in  Campania,  in  the 
volcanic  district,  at  the  foot  of  which  grew  the  famous  Falernian 
wine. 

527.  repostae,  '  renewed  ',  '  replenished  ' :  a  reference  to  the  various 
courses  (fercula,  'trays")  which  formed  the  Roman  caena.  Suetonius 
praises  Augustus  for  never  having  more  than  six  fercula.  The  touch 
of  half  playful  satire  with  which  Vergil  contrasts  the  wines  and 
delicacies  of  a  rich  man's  feast  with  the  simple  fare  and  life  of  the  poor 
cattle  is  effective  and  even  pathetic.  Compare  the  famous  passage  G. 
II.  461  '  Si  non  ingentem  foribus  domus  alta  superbis  &c.' 

529.  e-JTtraVa,  '  driven '.     Lucretian  word  of  swift  motion. 

531.  tempore  non  alio,  '  never  before  '  this  disastrous  plague. 

532.  quaesitas,  'were  lacking':  sought  for,  and  had  to  be  sought 
for. 

sacra  lunonis.  V.  is  thinking  of  the  Argive  rite,  wherein  the 
priestess  of  Here  (luno)  was  drawn  in  a  car  by  two  white  cattle  to  the 
temple.  It  makes  no  difference  to  the  poet  that  the  plague  was  in 
Austria. 

uri  were  the  wild  cattle  of  Italy  :  '  buffaloes  '. 

53.^.  'The  high  treasury'  is  only  a  picturesque  expression  for 
'  temple ',  which  usually  had  a  vault  or  closed  chamber  to  keep  the 
gifts. 

536.  contenta  (from  contendo,  Lucretian  word  and  use),  'straining'. 

537.  insidias  explorat,  characteristic  variation  of  phrase :  he 
means  'no  prowling  wolf  lies  in  wait',  but  he  says  'prowls  his  ambush', 
insidias  being  a  kmd  of  extended  cognate. 

538.  curior  cura,  the  '  sharper  trouble  ',  is  of  course  the  plague. 

543.  proluit,  '  wasiies  up  '. 

544.  curvis  late/iris  from  II.  216,  where  the  poet  explained  that 
snakes  found  shelter  in  the  '  winding;  '  waterworn  hollows  of  the  lime- 
stone. 

545.  adslantibus,  'erect',  unusual  meaning.  L.  quotes  I'iaut. 
Most.  324  'cave  ne  cad  as :  asta\ 

^^6.     'ion  aequus,  '  unkind  ',  like  the  common  use  o^  iniqtiiis. 
547.     The  beautiful  fancy  of  the  dead  bird  '  leaving  its  life  in  the 
sky'  is  repeated  //.  V.  517. 

549.  artes,  'skill  ',  of  the  healing  art,  as  the  next  line  shews. 

550.  Chiron,  centaur,  son  of  Saturnus  and  the  nymph  Philyra,  v. 
93  (here  for  metrical  reasons  i'hill.),  laiii^lil  by  Apollo,  and  renowned 
for  sjcili  in  medicine,  among  many  other  accomplishments. 

Afelampus,  son  of  Ainylhaon,  renowned  as  the  fust  seer  and  first 
physician. 

6—2 


84  VERGJL.    GRORG.    III. 

To  say  these  '  masters '  ccsscre,  '  were  of  no  avail ',  is  only  an 
artilicial  way  of  saying  that  no  healing  skill  was  of  any  avail. 

552.  Tisiphone,  a  Fury,  who  here  (as  A.  VI.  67)  executes  the 
vengeance  of  the  gods,  a  judgment  from  whom  the  plague  is  supposed 
to  be. 

556.  Imitation  of  Lucretius  vi.  11 44  'inde  catervatim  morbo 
mortique  dabantur '. 

559.  '  Nor  could  any  wash  clean  the  flesh  with  water,  or  master  it 
with  fire ' :  he  means  neither  water  nor  fire  could  remove  the  taint ;  but 
the  language  is  highly  strained,  especially  the  word  aboleo  prop.  '  to 
destroy'. 

56 1 .  inluT/u,  '  issue '. 

562.  nee  telas — putres,  '  nor  handle  the  rotten  webs '.  The  whole 
sense  is:  the  wool  cannot  be  shorn  (5^>i)  nor  woven  (562)  nor  safely 
worn  (563—6). 

564.  papulae,  '  pustules '. 

565.  sequebatur,  'ran  down'. 

longo  tempoie a.h\.  to  describe  '  in  the  course  0/^  no  long  time.  With 
moranti  ace.  would  be  usual. 

566.  sacer  ignis,  '  the  holy  fire ',  was  the  name  given  by  the  Roman 
physicians  to  a  red  eruption  on  the  skin,  by  some  identified  with 
erysipelas.  In  the  Lucretian  description  of  the  plague,  the  eruption  of 
the  sacer  ignis  is  likened  to  that  of  the  plague. 


BOOK   IV. 

[i — 7.  Subject:  bees,  their  little  state,  kings,  people,  character, 
pursuits,  wars.] 

I.  aerii,  '  heaven-dropt '  honey.  Referring  to  the  old  superstition 
that  the  honey  fell  like  a  dew  from  the  sky  on  the  leaves,  whence  the 
bees  gathered  it. 

In  the  golden  age  this  honey  was  plentiful;  and  ceased  to  be  so 
when  the  golden  age  ended  (niellaque  decussit  foliis  G.  I.  131):  but 
when  it  returns  will  again  abound  (durae  quercus  sudabunt  roscida  tnella 
Eel.  IV.  30).  The  notion  arose  no  doubt  from  the  substance  called 
honey-d^w,  a  sweet  secretion  of  aphides  much  sought  after  by  bees  and 
wasps  and  ants. 

3.  levium  rerum,  'of  a  little  state'.  There  is  a  playful  irony  all 
through  this  book  in  the  language  used  of  bees:  the  poet  intentionally 
uses  the  high-sounding  phrases  which  would  naturally  be  employed  to 
describe  human  society.     See  Introduction,  p.  25. 

7.  lacva,  'unfavourable',  'stern',  the  usual  sense  (si  fata  deum si  mens 
non  laeva  A.  II.  54:  laevo  contristat  lumine  X.  275,  &c.),  opp.  dextra. 

[.Servius  followed  by  some  edd.  says  it  means  the  opposite, 
'favourable  ' :  because  certain  signs  (e.g.  thunder  A.  il.  693)  on  the  left 
were  favourable:  but  in  such  places  it  means  simply  '  left  '.J 

[8  —  50.  Choice  of  place  for  hives:  sheltered  from  winds,  beasts, 
lizards,   birds:  if  there  is  water,  let  there  be  bridges  and  stones:  and 


NOTES.  85 

fragrant  herbs.  Narrow  opening,  to  avoid  heat  and  cold:  the  bees 
themselves  caulk  the  chinks,  and  may  be  helped  lo  do  so.  Avoid 
strong  smells  near  at  hand,  as  yews,  burnt  crabs,  swamp-miasma:  and 
don't  choose  echoing  places.] 

9.     sit,  final  use  of  subj.  after  rel. 

II.     insultent,  literally,  'trample'. 

14.  pinguibus  a  stahnlis,  'the  rich  stalls',  playfully  as  above,  3. 
meropes,  '  bee-eater ',  a  swift-flying  insectivorous  bird  of  the  swallow 
kind. 

15.  Procne  was  the  daughter  of  Pandion  wife  of  Tereus ;  she 
revenged  herself  on  her  husband  (for  violence  done  to  her  sister 
Philomela)  by  slaying  and  serving  up  to  him  their  son  Itys.  The  two 
sisters  pursued  by  Tereus  were  changed  into  birds. 

Procne  in  the  Greek  story  is  the  nightingale,  and  her  song  is  a 
lament  for  Itys:  but  here  (and  Ovid  Met.  VI.  669)  Procne  is  the 
swallmv. 

16.  ipsas,  the  bees. 

17.  nidi,  'brood':  the  plural  often  used  for  the  young  in  the  nest: 
so  nidis  loquacibus  A.  Xil    475  :  nidos  dukes  A.  v.  ■214. 

inmitibus,  '  cruel  '  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  bees. 

■21.     The  'kings'  are  what  we  call  more  accurately  'queens'. 

11.  vere  suo,  '  their  own,  their  beloved  spring',  a  pretty  imaginative 
touch  :  so  sopor  suus  below  1 90. 

23.     invitet  decedere,  '  tempt  ihem  to  take  refuge  '. 

28 — 9.  '  If  perchance  while  they  linger  swift  Eurus  splash  them 
with  rain,  or  plunge  them  in  the  mere'. 

The  last  line  is  again  playfully  grandiloquent. 

31.     serpulla,  'thyme':  Ihyinbra,  'savoury'. 

All  the  plants  are  sweet  and  '  strong-scented '. 

34.  Read  with  the  best  MSS.  (and  R.  L.  P.)  alvaria,  as  alvus  is  the 
regular  word  for  '  hive '  in  Varro,  Pliny,  and  Columella :  alvearia 
[usually  read  here  :  -vear-  one  syllable]  is  probably  tiic  wrong  form, 
though  it  is  found  in  our  texts  of  Varro. 

Properly  then,  almts  'the  hive',  alvarium  the  whole  establishment, 
'the  apiary'. 

36.  rcmittit,  '  thaws ' :  //'</.  rem.  an  accumulated  expression  like 
sublapsa  referri,  fixum  sedet,  convcrsa  tulere,  dectptam  fefellit,  sollicilain 
timor  anxius  aiigit  &c. 

38.  /("ww/a,  dactyl,  the  M  being  half  consonant.  So  gcnufi,  pariSte, 
SriCld.     tenuia  occurs  i.  397,  il.  121. 

39.  j//>(i/«ir/»/a,  '  chinks ',  'crevices'. 

Jiicus,  'dye',  is  generally  understood  to  mean  'pollen'. 
fuco  etfloribus,  rather  a  bold  hendiadys  for  '  flower-i)ollen'. 

eras,  '  the  edges  ',  either  of  the  doorway,  or  the  other  crevices. 

41.     Idiie,  famous  for  pines,  Ml    450. 

\y  fovere,  'keep  snug':  the  root  idea  of  the  word.  It  is  most 
often  used  u\  winulh  (sol  f.,  peclore  f.),  then  o{  embraces,  nursing,  birds 
•iiXUn^  close  :  ihcii  of  rubbing  ur  luashing  (230):  below  .|6  the  idea  is 
probably  of  (lo  ing  up  tight. 

4S.     nre,  not    of   'roaslini''    to    cat,    but  literally  burning,  which 


86  VERGIL.    GEORG.    IV. 

would  make  a  far  worse  smell.     Cral)  ashes  were  used  as  a  specific  for 
certain  diseases. 

50.  offensa,  '  struck',  properly  of  the  original  sound,  here  transferred 
to  the  echo  which  results.  '  The  echo  of  the  voice  strikes  and  rebounds' 
would  be  similarly  inaccurate  :  we  might  say  'rebounds  from  the  shock'. 

[51 — 66.  In  warm  weather  swarms  will  begin  ;  sprinkle  the  place 
they  are  likely  to  choose  with  the  right  herb.s,  and  make  a  tinkling 
noise,  and  they  will  settle  where  you  wish.] 

51.  quod  superest,  lit.  'as  to  the  rest',  i.e.  'furthermore',  rather 
stately  and  formal  connecting  phrase.  G.  II.  346 :  A.  v.  796  (rather 
differently  used  sometimes,  A.  v.  691,  XI.  15) :  also  in  Lucretius. 

54.  tnetunt,  'crop  ':  rather  unusual  sense  of  the  word,  when  what 
he  really  means  is  that  they  gather  honey  and  pollen. 

57.  excttdunt,  'forge',  another  picturesque  term  :  properly  used  of 
metal  (excudent  alii  spirantia  viollius  aera  A.  VI.  847). 

60.  '  And  marvel  at  the  dark  cloud  spreading  on  the  wind  ',  i.e.  as 
the  cluster  flies  it  lengthens  out. 

63.  melisphylla  [Greek  name  =  'bee-plant'],  'balm'. 
cerintha,  'wax-flower',  the  name  of  a  fragrant  herb. 

64.  Again  the  playful  touch  of  grandeur,  'Awake  the  tinkling  sound, 
Shake  the  cymbals  of  the  great  Mother'. 

Matris  is  Cybele,  the  Phrygian  goddess  called  the  Great  Mother, 
whose  worshippers  (Corybantes)  celebrated  her  with  wild  rites,  accom- 
panied with  drums,  horns  and  cymbals. 

65.  medicalis  sedibiis,  'the  drugged'  or  'scented  resting-place'  is 
the  tree  which  has  been  rubbed  with  balm  &c. 

ipsae,  '  of  themselves  '  as  often. 

Varro's  description  makes  Vergil  quite  clear:  They  lead  the  swarm 
where  they  please  by  tinkling  round  them  :  not  far  off  they  smear  a 
bough  with  bee-glue  and  the  herbs  the  bees  like  :  when  they  have 
settled,  they  bring,  a  hive  smeared  within  with  the  same  attractions. 
Var.  III.  16,  30. 

66.  ciitiabula,  'cradle',  fanciful  word  for  the  hive. 

[67 — 87.  Signs  of  battle :  buzzing  and  hurry,  and  sharpening  of 
stings  and  crowding:  they  fight  obstinately  and  bravely.  You  can 
stop  them  by  throwing  dust.] 

67  sqq.  Vergil's  humour  in  describing  the  doings  of  the  bees  is 
nowhere  more  delicate  and  effective  than  in  this  warlike  passage.  The 
apodosis  to  Sin  exierint  is  dropped,  and  only  practically  resumed  at  86. 

69.  trepidantia  bello  corda,  '  hearts  beating  for  the  war  '  sounds 
more  natural  in  English,  and  several  edd.  take  bello  dat. :  but  the  abl. 
is  more  like  Vergil, '  with  war',  meaning  'with  the  thought '  or  'prospect 
of  war'. 

71.  'The  loud  trumpet's  warlike  ring'  is  the  buzz  of  excitement. 

72.  By  'broken'  sounds  he  means  the  rapidly  changed  note: 
opposed  to  a  prolonged  and  sustained  tone. 

74.  'They  whet  their  stings  upon  their  beaks  and  make  ready 
tlicir  strong  arms',  a  highly  imaginative  picture,  the  nearest  approa>,h 
in  fact  being  the  rubbing  of  their  Kodies  with  their  legs  which  is  really 
removing  dust  or  anything  that  clings. 


NOTES.  87 

[To  take  rostris  as  dat.  'for  their  beaks'  =gen.,  C,  or  'out  of 
their  beaks',  is  much  too  artificial,  and  even  further  from  the  fact.] 

75.  praetorta,  'the  general's  tent ',  playfully  for  the  place  where  the 
queen  is  :  the  whole  description  is  of  course  imaginary. 

76.  miscentiir,  'crowd',  'swarm':  a  favourite  word  of  V.  for  any 
sort  of  confusion. 

81.    glandis,  gen.  after  tantiim. 

83.  ipsi,  '  the  chiefs  themselves'. 

84.  obnixi,  Teg\i\a.rly  o(  Jirm  pressure,  here  viefi/al,  'resolute'.  The 
inf.  is  a  stretch  of  construction  naturally  due  to  the  unusual  sense  uf 
obnixi.     See  note  on  ill.  46. 

85.  subegit,  vivid  use  of  perf.  indie,  fc  subegerit.  So  anteqiiain 
and  pritisquam:  antequam  opprimit  lux  erumpamus  Liv.  xxii.  50: 
omnia  experiri  certumst,  priusquam /irrco  Ter.  Andr.  311. 

87.  Pliny  recommenils  dust-throwing  to  stop  the  fighting  ;  Varro 
the  throwing  of  water  sweetened  with  honey  {aqua  tnttlsa),  the  bees 
crowding  together  to  lick  each  other  ! 

[88  — 102.  Kill  the  beaten  queen — recognisable  by  colour:  the 
stronger  is  bright,  the  weaker  sluggish,  rough  and  bloated.  The  workers 
on  each  side  are  likewise  different  in  colour.] 

89.  fte  prodigus  obsit,  'lest  he  be  a  wasteful  burden',  'to  prevent 
the  harm  of  waste ',  since  the  defeated  queen  was  of  no  further  use,  and 
only  consumed  honey. 

92.  tneiior,  long  0  before  vowel  in  arsis. 

93.  '  The  other  squalid  from  sloth,  and  trailing  dishonoured  a 
cumbrous  belly'. 

Varro  merely  says  the  bright  one  is  the  better.  Vergil  has  developed 
the  idea. 

97.  Vergil  plainly  means  that  the  inferior  bees  (which  are  dark  and 
rough)  are  like  the  spittle  of  a  dusty  traveller.  The  coarseness  of  such 
a  simile  may  be  compared  with  the  horrid  descrijnions  in  the  Aeneid,  e.g. 
the  drunken  Cyclops  111.  623,  tlie  battered  boxer  v.  468,  the  mangled 
Deiphobus  VI.  496 :  which  however  are  somewhat  redeemed  by  tlieir 
force. 

99.  paribus,  'even':  one  of  the  beauties  of  insects  being  the 
symmetry  of  their  markings. 

102.  '  Fit  to  tame  the  iiarsh  savour  of  wine':  the  Romans  were  fond 
of  a  kind  of  w^a^made  of  the  commoner  sorts  of  wine  mixed  with  honey. 

[103  — 115.  When  they  tly  aimless,  kill  the  queen:  also  plant 
crocus,  thyme,  pine:  and  place  a  statue  of  Priapus.] 

103.  caelo,  poetic  local  abl.  'in  the  air'. 

104.  frigida  expresses  the  result  of  t!»e  verb  (proleptic  use) :  'leave 
their  hives  cold'. 

1 10 — '  1 1.  I'riapus  was  the  god  of  fertility,  said  to  have  been  born 
of  Venus  at  Lampsacus  on  the  Hellespont,  where  he  was  worshipped. 
He  was  naturally  the  protci.tDr  >.A  rsW  produce,  and  especially  of  gardens, 
where  his  statue  stood  armed  with  a  ivilloiu  cudgel  to  keep  off  thieves 
and  birds. 

I  10.  After  (uslos  yf)U  wouM  expect  I'riapus,  which  is  however 
elaborated  into  tulela  /Viapi,  in  Vergil's  manner. 


88  VERGIL.    GEORG.   IV. 

funtm,  'against'  thieves,  a  good  illustration  of  the  elastic  use 
of  the  gen.,  which  can  be  used  to  describe  almost  any  relation  between 
substantives. 

113.  tecta,  '  the  hives '. 

1 1 4.  /traces  plantas,  '  the  fertile  shoots  '  of  the  pine  trees. 

[116  — 148.  I  should  like  to  have  sung  of  gardens,  and  all  the 
flowers  and  herbs,  roses,  endive,  parsley,  gourd  :  narcissus,  acanthus,  ivy, 
myrtle.  I  remember  an  old  Cilician  gardener  who  prospered  much  on  a 
few  acres  in  the  plants  and  fruit  and  bees  he  raised — but  time  is  short.] 

117.  ni...traha7n...canerem.  In  prose  we  should  have  trakc'iein, 
because  it  is  a  present  condition  where  the  supposition  is  excluded  by  the 
facts:  [I  am  furling  my  sails:  were  I  not  furling  them  &c.] 

The  pres.  subjunctive  properly  means  'were  I  not  to  furl '  and  treats 
the  question  as  still  open.  So  ^.  l.  58  m  facial ..  .(\\x\^^^  ferant  secum  : 
Aen.  II.  599  circum  errant  acies  et  ni  mea  cura  resistat..'\?i.\x\  flammae 
tulerint:  vi.  292  et  ni  docta  comes. ..adrnoncat...inniat,  S.c. 

In  all  these  cases  the  licence  is  taken  in  l>oth  clauses  of  the  con- 
ditional :  whereas  in  this  passage  the  principal  verb  reverts  to  the 
normal  tense:  just  as  it  does  in  Tibull.  i.  8,  21  faceret,  si  non  acra 
repulsa  soncnt,  quoted  by  C. 

119.  'The  rose-beds  of  twice-blooming  Paestum  ' :  Paestum  origi- 
nally a  Greek  colony  (Posidonia)  on  the  sea  in  N.  of  Lucania,  very 
flourishing  in  fifth  century  B.C.,  afterwards  decayed,  and  in  Augustan 
times  famous  only  for  roses.  It  is  now  known  everywhere  for  the  ruins 
of  its  two  magnificent  Doric  temples. 

120.  Instead  of  saying  'parsley  rejoices  in  the  banks'  he  says  'the 
banks  rejoice  in  parsley'.     The  variation  of  expression  is  characteristic. 

122.  cresceret  in  uentrem,  a  natural  variation,  'swelled  to  a  huger 
paunch '. 

sera,  adv.  ace.  see  in.  149  :  comantem,  here  'blooming'. 

1 25.  Oebaliae,  '  the  high  towers  of  Oebalia '  are  Tarentum,  founded 
by  Laconians,  Oebalia  being  a  name  for  Laconia  from  a  mythical  king 
Oebalus. 

[The  easier  reading  arcis,  adopted  by  R.  P.  K.  L.,  is  unknown  to  the 
old  MSS.  and  Servius,  and  is  doubtless  an  alteration.] 

126.  Galaesus,  a  deep  clear  river  which  flows  S.  into  the  harbour  of 
Tarentum. 

127.  Corycus,  a  seaside  place  in  Cilicia :  the  gardens  of  Cilicia 
were  famous,  and  this  old  Cilician  applied  his  native  knowledge  of 
gardening  to  a  piece  of  waste  (lelicti  ruris)  near  Tarentum. 

128.  ilia,  best  taken  with  seges:  'a  land  not  made  fertile  by  the 
toil  of  oxen'  &c.,  iitvencis  being  abl.  instr.  [Others  take  it  dat.  'for 
the  cattle',  i.e.  regarding  the  cattle  as  the  recipients  of  the  fertility  they 
produce:  a  much  harsher  constr.] 

'3'*    premens,  'hide'  'bury';  fanciful  word  for  '  plant':  so  II.  346. 

vescum,  'fine'  poppy  seed,  see  note  on  iii.  175. 

132.  animis  might  be  '  with  his  spirit'  or  'in  his  heart':  the  plur. 
is  rather  in  favour  of  the  former.  It  will  then  be  a  rather  unusual  but 
effective  way  of  saying  'he  was  as  proiul  (of  his  small  possession)  as  of 
royal  wealth '. 


NOTES.  89 

134.  •  The  inf.  here  (and  below  140)  are  best  taken  aher  primus  (erat 
understood)  and  not  historic  inf. :  for  all  the  other  verbs  are  indie. 

135.  etiatnnum,  '  still ',  because  he  is  speaking  of  the  end  of  winter : 
he  had  the  spring  flowers  before  the  spring. 

137.  tondebat,  a  long,  an  instance  of  Vergil's  archaism,  or  fondness 
for  old  usages,  as  this  a  was  in  old  times  long.  Ennius  has  '  ponebat 
ante  salutem'  and  Plautus  has  it  long.  So  A.  v.  853,  vii.  174,  x.  383, 
&c.  all  before  stops  however. 

For  Greek  rhythm  with  Greek  word  (hyacinthi)  see  III.  60. 

142.  in  Jlore  novo,  '  in  early  blossom  ',  i.e.  in  the  ti7ne  of  flowering. 

143.  rnatura  poma  (not  arbos,  as  C.). 

144 — 6.  The  point  is  that  with  his  gardening  skill,  just  as  he  had 
earlier  flowers  than  others,  so  he  could  transplant  trees  later:  the  elms 
already  grown,  the  pear  with  hard  wood,  the  sloes  with  plums  on 
them,  &c. 

144.  in  versuni,  'in  line' :  so  the  word  is  used  [A.  v.  1 19)  of  a  line 
or  'tier'  of  oars  in  a  trireme;  for  ace.  see  in  sfevt  iir.  73,  below  175. 

145.  spines,  'the  sloes',  which  were  probably  grafted  with  plums 
just  as  planes  with  apples,  ashes  with  pears  &c.  11.  70. 

J  47.     haec  is  the  whole  sub/ect  of  gardens  and  flowers,  see  1 15. 

spatiis  exclttsus  itiiquis,  '  barred  by  too  narrow  a  field '. 

[149 — 218.  The  natures  of  bees:  their  common  life,  and  toil:  their 
division  of  tasks,  for  food,  building,  feeding  the  young,  getting  honey, 
guarding, — all  busy  like  the  Cyclopes.  From  morn  to  eve  various 
toil:  they  know  the  weather  and  fear  storms,  even  carrying  ballast. 
They  do  not  breed  like  other  animals,  but  7?W(/ their  eggs:  themselves 
shortlived,  the  life  of  the  community  never  ends.  Their  loyalty  and 
reverence  to  their  sovereign.] 

150.  pro  qua  mercede,  'the  reward  for  which',  the  reward  being  the 
natural  skill  and  powers,  naturas. 

151.  The  Cretan  story  was  that,  as  Kronos  (Saturn)  devoured  his 
children,  when  Zeus  (luppiter)  was  born  his  mother  hid  him  in  a  cave 
of  M.  Dicle  in  Crete.  The  Ctiietes  (afterwards  priests  of  Zeus)  clashed 
their  weapons  to  drown  the  infant's  cries,  lest  his  father  should  lind  him. 
The  bees,  k<l  by  the  clashing  sound  (64),  settled  there,  and  fed  the 
infant  god  with  honey.  luppiter  in  gratitude  endowed  the  bees  with 
their  wisdom. 

153.  solae.  The  ancients  knew  very  little  of  the  other  social  insects 
(wasps,  hornets,  ants), 

consols,  usually  of  persons,  'sharer,  ])artncr' :  here  of  things,  'com- 
mon' dwellings  (j^a;^(/ instead  of  s/m/injif). 

154.  iiia/^nis,  'mighty' laws,  see  note  on  67  and  Introduction,  p.  25. 

157.  ill  medium,  common  phrase,  'for  the  common  store',  sd  in  in. 
consulerc,  dare,  ccjnferre,  cedcre,  &c. 

158.  victu  invigilant,  'walch  o'er  the  gathering  of  food ',  vidu  the 
old  contracted  form  of  the  flat,  common  in  Vergil.  So  venalu  invig. 
Atn.  rx.  60.5.     So  we  find  curru,  inetii,  porlti,  I'tc. 

1^)4.  stipaiil.  'jjack':  the  notion  of  force  and  tightness  being  given 
in  the  sound  (jf  (he  unusual  rhythm,  a  heavy  spondee  overhanging,  see 
III.  317. 


90  VERGIL.    GEORG.    IV. 

165.  sorU,  probably  old  abl.  like  classi  A.  VIII.  1 1 :  igniV.  I.  234  : 
and  in  Lucr.  common,  colli,  tussi,  orbi,  sordi,  pelli,  imicroni,  parti,  itc. 
See  III.  447. 

ad  portas  depends  closely  on  custodia,  a  rare  constr.  ciiicfly  with 
verbal  substantives. 

169.  fervet  opus,  lit.  'the  work  is  hot':  i.e.  'all  is  busy  toil'. 

The  passage  recurs  (with  slight  alterations)  A.  \.  430,  as  a  simile  for 
the  busy  labours  of  the  builders  at  Carthage. 

170.  The  original  Cyclopes  ('Round-eyes')  were  the  cannibal  one- 
eyed  giant  shepherds  of  Sicily,  in  the  Odyssey.  It  was  a  later  tradition 
which  made  them  the  giant  forgers  in  the  iuige  foundry  of  llephaistos 
(Volcanus)  in  the  caverns  of  Aetna  and  the  volcanic  Liparaeaii  isles  off 
N.  of  Sicily,  Vergil  gives  a  long  account  of  the  Cyclopes  at  work  A. 
VIII.  415 — 453,  where  he  uses  again  these  lines^ 

173.  'Aetna  groans  with  the  anvil's  wei,i,'ht'  though  the  anvil  is  in 
the  heart  of  the  mountain.  A.  viii.  451  gives  more  accurately 
'antrum'. 

1 75.  in  numertim,  'in  measured  beat',  idiomatic  use  of  in  with  ace. ; 
so  in  morem  'duly'  v.  556:  in  orbetn  'in  a  circle'  viil.  673.  Where 
there  is  motion  the  ace.  is  quite  natural.  Similar  instances  above  are 
in  span  in.  73,  in  versimi  IV.  144. 

176.  si parva...magnis,  a  half-grave  apology  for  comparing  the  bees 
to  these  mythical  giant  blacksmiths. 

177.  Cecropias,  a  picturesque  literary  epithet  'Athenian',  from 
Cecrops  mythical  king  and  founder  of  Athens.  The  Athenian  honey  of 
Hyinettus,  a  thymy  hill  S.E.  of  Athens,  was  famous.  The  motive  amor 
habeiidi  of  course  applies  only  to  the  bees:  it  is  only  the  industry 
(urguet)  that  is  compared. 

179.  daedala,  adj.  (derived  from  Greek  5a(5oXo5  or  SatSdXeoj 
'cunning',  generally  of  work  in  wood,  metal,  or  later  embroidery)  and  a 
favourite  word  of  Lucretius. 

180.  miilta  node,  'late  at  night'. 

183.  ferrtigineits  (from  ferrugo  'iron  rust'),  a  word  used  rather 
loosely,  usually  of  any  dark  purple,  reddish,  or  violet  colour:  I'laut. 
Miles  wj%...ferruglneiini,  nam  is  color thalassicus  'for  that  is  the  colour 
of  the  sea'.  In  G.  i.  467  it  seems  to  mean  'lurid-red':  and  Ovid  has 
even  viridis  ferrugine  barba,  apparently  'sea-green'.  Here  it  is  clearly 
'dark  blue'. 

184.  qnies  opcnim,  ^xeslfrom  labour',  see  no. 

190.  in  noctem,  '  far  into  the  night ',  in  implying  continuance  into,  as 
A.  VII.  8adsi>irant  aurae  in  noctem.  So  in  dies  'as  the  days  go  on'  and 
ih  itnavTov  in  Greek. 

sopor  suus,  'their  own  slumber',  'welcome  slumber',  a  beautiful 
touch:  cf.  vere  SKO,  22. 

194.  V.  borrows  the  strange  idea  of  bees  carrying  pebbles  (as  boats 
have  ballast)  from  Aristotle.  Perhaps  a  load  of  pollen  was  mistaken 
for  gravel  or  sand. 

\(/i.  tollunt,  the  heavy  spondee  overhanging  suggests  the  effort,  as 
above  164. 

198.     concubitu  dat.,  158. 


NOTES.  91 

200.  This  other  quaint  superstition  that  bees  pick  their  eggs  off 
flowers  (also  found  in  Aristotle)  arose  probably  from  pollen  being  mis- 
taken for  eggs. 

201.  QuiriUs,  the  old  name  for  the  Roman  'citizens',  with  playful 
gravity  applied  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  bees'  commonwealth. 

202.  sujiciuitt,  'sup])Iy',  regularly  used  of  electing  officers  to  fill 
vacancies;  so  G.  in.  65  aliam  ex  alia  generando  suffice  prolem. 

204.  ulh'o,  lit.  'further',  a  favourite  word  of  Verg.  of  any  action 
beyond  v/hsX  might  be  expected:  e.g.  icltro  compellat,  affatur,  increpat, 
&c.,  of  the  being  the  first  to  speak:  ultra  occurro,  venio,  pcto,  oi  coming 
uncalled:  ultro  offerre,  afferre,  of  offering  unasked.  Here  we  might 
render  it  'freely':  they  sacrifice  themselves  for  the  common  weal.  See 
265,  530. 

207.  excipiat,  'awaits  them' :  the  word  is  used  of  anything 'coming 
upon'  a  person,  e.g.  castes  excipit  A.  ill.  318,  cculi  indulgentia  exc. 
terras  G.  II.  345. 

non  plus  septima.  nonplus  and  non  amplins  often  thus  used  idiomaii- 
cally  as  an  adverb,  without  changing  the  case  of  the  subst.  So  non 
aviplius  una  III,  non  plus  quingentos,  non  ampliits  ijtiattnor  viillia. 

209.  'The  fortune  of  their  house  stands  fast,  and  grandsires' grand- 
sires  swell  the  roll'  (P.).  The  rhetorical  splendour  of  these  lines  is  in 
the  same  half  pLiyful  ironic  spirit  wiiich  abounds  in  this  book. 

210 — II.  These  are  typical  eastern  nations,  whose  grovelling  sub- 
mission to  despots  was  a  commonplace. 

The  Hydaspes  is  an  Indian  river  (the  Jeloum),  eastern  affluent  of  the 
Indus,  and  is  called  Median  with  a  truly  poetic  elasticity  of  geogra[)liy 
(compare  G.  11.  490),  as  the  Hydaspes  is  nearly  a  thousand  miles  from 
NIedia  proper.  However  if  we  take  Medus  for  'Persian'  (as  it  often 
loosely  is  used)  and  remember  that  the  great  Persian  empire  in  its  best 
days  reached  to  the  Indus,  the  expression  may  be  (poetically)  justified. 

213.  rupere,  gnomic  [lerfect,  used  (like  Greek  aor.)  of  habit.  So 
G.  I.  49,  226,  II.  24,  70,  443. 

214.  crates  favorum,  'the  ribbed  combs',  'the  combs'  waxen 
trellis'  (R.),  a  picturesque  expression  for  the  jointed  look  of  a  section 
of  honeycomb.  The  word  projierly  means  wicker  or  basket  work, 
and  is  used  to  describe  various  things  constructed  with  cross  pieces,  as 
a  harro7u  (Plin),  the  interlocked  shields  of  tiie  tesludo  (l^ucan),  a 
shield-framework  (Verg.  A.  vii.  633),  the  ribs  oi  the  body  (Verg.  A. 
xn.  503). 

217.  corpora  hello  obicctant,  'expose  their  limbs  to  the  battle',  i.e. 
for  the  queen. 

[219 — 227.  Hence  scjme  have  thought  bees  divinely  inspired:  for 
the  world-spirit  is  the  source  of  all  life,  and  underlies  and  informs 
all  the  world.] 

In  tliis  passage,  as  C.  has  shewn,  the  poet  is  mixing  up  two 
quite  difTirrent  beliefs,  (1)  that  bees  are  specially  inspired  witii 
wisdom  from  the  gods:  (so  Aristotle  believed  when  he  spoke  of 
l>ccs  having  tc  Oilov  (Gen.  An.  III.  10),  and  the  skilful  structure  of 
their  hive  and  elaborate  social  arrangements  led  nnlurnlly  to  the 
belief):    (2)  that  there  is  a  woild-spiril  which  pervades  the  world  and 


92  VERGIL.    GEORG.    IV. 

is  the  source  of  all  life  (and  is  to  be  found  in  bees  too).  This  belief 
is  more  fully  given  in  the  famous  passage  in  A.  vi.  724,  sqq.: 
'First  of  all  heaven  and  earth  and  the  liquid  fields,  the  shining  orb 
of  the  moon  and  the  Titanian  star,  doth  a  spirit  sustain  inly,  and  a 
soul  shed  abroad  in  them  sways  all  their  members  and  mingles  in 
the  mighty  frame.  Thence  is  the  generation  of  man  and  beast,  the 
life  of  winged  things,  and  the  monstrous  forms  that  ocean  breeds 
under  his  glittering  floor'.  (From  Mr  Mackail's  translation  of  the 
Aeneid.) 

This  world-spirit  is  of  fiery  or  ethereal  nature:  hence  'the 
draughts  of  ether'  which  the  bees  inhale. 

222.  it'9-iasque  iracticsque,  this  lengthening  (like  the  Homeric 
i\afXTrov  re  K\&n6v  re)  is  common  in  V.,  always  before  liquids  or 
double  consonants,  aestusque  pluviasqiie,  liniinaque  laiirusque,  lappae- 
que  iribulique,  tribidaque  trakeaeqiie,  fontesque  Jlitviosqiie,  &c.  See 
III.  385. 

225.     reddi...resoluta  referri,  accumulated,  see  note  on  36. 

227.  sideris  in  numcriini,  'into  their  starry  rank'  (R.),  rather 
an  unusual  use  of  njiineriis,  which  may  be  compared  with  in  iiidlo 
mmiero  esse  Cic.  De  Or.  3,  56,  213:  digeril  in  ntunertim  Verg.  A. 
III.  446:  parentis  nutnero  Cic.  Verr.  19. 

[228 — 250.  If  you  take  combs,  you  must  wash  first,  and  smoke 
the  hive.  Two  honey-harvests,  spring  and  autumn.  Their  sting  is 
bad.  If  you  save  some  for  the  bees  in  winter,  cut  away  empty  combs 
— beetles  and  cockroaches  &c.  eat  the  combs :  and  other  enemies  are 
hornets,  molhs,  spiders.] 

228.  angustam  and  atcgiislatn  are  both  read  by  good  MSS.,  the 
latter  the  best  supported.     But  angtistam  is  more  natural. 

229.  relines,  'unseal',  'broach',  metaphor  from  wine-jars,  which 
were  closed  with  cork  or  wood,  plastered  over  with  pitch  (or  clay). 
So  corticem  adstrictiun  pice  demovebit  amphorae  I  lor.  Od.  III.  viii.  20. 

230-  ora  fove,  'lub'  or  'wash'  your  mouth,  evidently  with  water. 
Yo'c  fovea,  see  note  on  iv.  43. 

The  tradition  of  bee-keepers  given  by  Columella  (ix.  14)  was  'not 
to  go  near  the  bees  after  drinking  wine,  nor  without  washing :  to 
abstain  from  all  strong-smelling  food,  as  salt  fish,  or  salt  sauces,  or 
garlic  or  onions'. 

sequaees,  'penetrating'  smoke,  to  drive  out  the  bees  from  the 
combs  which  are  to  be  taken.  Sequax,  a  vivid  word  used  of  'pestering 
roes'  G.  II.  374,  also  oi  fire  and  water. 

231.    _^ravidos  fetus-,  'teeming  produce'  (R.),  slightly  unusual  sense. 

cogtint,  '  they  gather'.  [Others  make  'bees'  nom. :  but  the  bees  were 
always  at  work,  and  V.  is  clearly  speaking  of  the  taking  of  the  combs.] 

232 — 5.  Taygete  is  one  of  the  Pleiads,  and  the  general  sense 
is  jjlain,  that  the  two  honey-harvests  are  about  the  times  of  the 
rising  and  setting  of  the  Pleiads. 

The  Pleiads  are  one  of  the  most  marked  constellations  ;  and  as 
the  apparent  morning  rising  (i.e.  the  day  when  they  could  be  first 
seen  to  rjse  at  daybreak)  was  about  the  28th  May,  and  their  apparent 
morning   setting   was    about    9lh    November,    this    constellation    was 


NOTES.  93 

chosen  from  very  early  times  to  mark  the  beginning  of  summer  (by 
its  rising)  and  the  beginning  of  winter  (by  its  setting).  These  signs 
are  noted  in  Hesiod,  in  an  astronomical  treatise  of  the  5th  century, 
and  in  Julius  Caesar's  calendar :  and  no  doubt  all  farmers'  lists  of 
days  would  contain  the  mention  of  them.  There  is  no  need  to  go 
closely  into  the  question  of  days  ;  since  Vergil  only  means  that  there 
is  a  spring  and  an  autumn  honey-harvest. 

'The  Fish'  refers  no  doubt  to  the  sign  of  the  Zodiac  of  that  name, 
which  traditionally  (though  in  Vergil's  day  no  longer  truly)  corre- 
sponded to  the  late  winter.  The  poet  accordingly  describes  the 
Pleiades  which  set  in  early  winter  as  'fleeing  before  the  Fish'.  The 
expression  is  astronomically  as  loose  as  can  be,  but  poetically  sufiicient. 

233.     Oceani  ainnes,  see  III.  359. 

237.  morsibus.     Vergil  forgets  that  bees  do  not  bite. 

238.  adfixae,  'clinging':  it  is  really  the  stings  that  cling,  not 
the  bees:  but  this  sort  of  variation  is  quite  in  Vergil's  manner:  e.g. 
volsis  radicibus  herbae,  sopitas  ignibus  aras,  tecinsque  tenet  se,  &c. 

It  was  an  old  belief  that  a  bee  could  only  sting  once,  left  the  sting 
in,  and  died  of  it. 

240.  res  viiserabere  frattas,  'pity  their  shattered  fortunes',  i.e. 
and  leave  them  honey  instead  of  taking  a  full  harvest.  The  expression 
has  the  usual  half  playful  character  :  it  would  naturally  apply  to  a 
human  society. 

243.  stelio,  'a  newt':  the  i  is  half  consonantal,  and  the  word  is 
therefore  a  dissyllable.     So  arigtd,  pariStibus,  «&c. 

243 — 4.  The  sense  is,  'the  combs  are  often  eaten  by  newts, 
cockroaches,  and  drones':  but  instead  of  saying  b/attae,  the  expression 
is  elaborated  into  'the  crowded  lairs  of  the  light-loathing  beetles'  and 
so  the  grammar  strained,  though  the  meaning  is  clear  enough. 

blatta.  The  dictionaries  give  'cockroach,  chafer,  moth':  a  little 
vague.  The  phrase  'light-loathing'  and  'crowded  haunts'  point 
to  the  cockroach:  so  also  Horace's  remark  (Sat.  11.  3,  117)  that  they 
are  found  in  clothes-chests  :  and  Pliny's  statement  [N.  H.  .\i.  28) 
that  they  breed  in  baths.  [I  use  the  popular  term  'beetle'  although  not 
scientifically  correct.] 

244.  immuuis,  prop,  of  the  citizen  who  does  not  take  his  share 
of  put)lic  burdens :  admirable  word  for  the  drones,  who  eat  but 
don  t  work. 

245.  inparibus,  dat.  'ill-matched  foe',  because  the  bees  cannot 
defeat  the  hornet. 

246.  invisa  Minervae.  Ovid's  version  of  the  old  Greek  story 
of  the  spider  is  as  fijllows:  The  Lydian  maitieii  Arachne  was  so 
skilful  in  weaving  and  spinning  that  she  challenged  Minerva  to  a 
contest.  Arachne  wove  a  magnificent  tapestry  representing  all  the 
sins  of  the  gods  against  women  :  Minerva  depicted  the  triumphs  of  Ihe 
gods  over  impiety.  Arachne  in  grief  tore  her  work  and  hung  herself; 
Minerva  in  pity  changed  her  into  a  spider — always  spinning,  and 
always  hanging.     {Met.  VI.  i — 145.) 

249.  incumbttit,  jiicturesque  word  for  'work',  'strive'.  For  inf. 
see  III.  4^1. 


94  VERGIL.    GEORG.    IV. 

250.  forus,  like  forum,  properly  'a  confined  space':  generally 
a  gangway,  jiassagc,  alley  :  here  boldly  for  'a  cell '. 

'  VVeave  their  garners  with  flowers',  a  fanciful  and  poetic  version 
of  V.  39—40. 

[251 — 280.  Signs  of  disease:  colour,  leanness,  swarming  at  the 
door,  sluggishness,  low  humming.  Drugs  to  cure  them  :  honey,  gall, 
dry  rose-leaves,  must,  raisins,  thyme ;  and  the  plant  amellus  stewed  in 
wine.] 

251.  Notice  the  rare  caesura;  much  more  frequent  in  later  books 
of  Aeneid. 

252.  The  apodosis  to  sivero  is  dropped,  and  only  resumed  264. 
255.     luce  carentiim,  'bereft  of  light',  i.e.  dead;  a  Lucretian  phrase 

Greek  in  its  character.  The  Greeks  used  {i\l-Kuv  'to  see'='to  live', 
\iiirn.v  (pa.0%  'to  leave  the  light '= 'die ':  and'Ai57jj=d-f5ijs,  'the  dark', 
for  the  world  below. 

257.     illae,  the  sick  bees. 

259.  cont7-acto,  '  cramped  ',  '  huddled  ',  transferred  from  the  sufferer 
to  the  cold  which  causes  the  suffering.  Similar  uses  are  sceleratas 
stiinere  poenas,  cursum  prospera  discit  religio,  sagitta  celeres  transilit 
umbras,  &c. 

260.  tractimque  snstirrattt,  '  a  longdrawn  hum  '  (R.). 

261 .  quondam.  '  ofttimes  '. 

262.  stricitt,  the  older  conjugation,  instead  of  the  common  strideo. 
So  V.  \\zs>  fei-vere  A.  IV.  409, /«/^<?>v  VI.  826,  stridere  again   G.  II. 

418,  stridere  and  effervere  iv.  556. 

263.  rapidus,  see  below,  425. 

265.  iiltro  horiantem,  'even'  cheering,  'himself  cheering:  see 
note  on  204. 

267.  tunsum  artificially  with  saporem:  it  is  of  course  the  oakgall 
which  is  bruised. 

268 — 9.  pingtiia.,  '  rich ',  here  means  no  doubt  '  thickened ' :  the  fresh 
wine  or  must  (defruta)  was  boiled  down  to  make  it  more  concentrated. 

psithia  is  the  Greek  name  of  some  unknown  vine:  we  learn  from  G. 
11.  93  that  it  was  chiefly  used  for  passum  or  'raisin  wine',  passiis 
properly  '  spread  ' :  so  used  of  raisins  dried  in  the  sun. 

270.  Cecropium,  i,L-e  177. 

ceiitaurea,  'centaury',  a  bitter  herb  named  according  to  Pliny  (xxv. 
14)  because  it  was  discovered  by  the  Cenlaur  Chiron,  who  was  instructed 
by  Apollo  in  the  art  of  healing.  It  was  one  of  the  various  kinds  of 
panacea  or  Cure-all. 

271.  a/w^/////,  the  yellow  aster. 

273.  caespes,  usually  'a  sod',  'turf,  which  cannot  be  the  meaning 
here  :  it  seems  to  be  also  used  of  «  clump  or  root  of  a  bushy  shrub  :  and 
Vergil  here  uses  it  in  this  sense  :  many  stalks  and  flowers  (silva)  from 
one  root. 

276.  nexis  torqiiibus,  '  with  chaplets  twined '  0/ it. 

277.  tonsis,  '  cropped  '. 

178.  Afella,  a  little  river  about  20  miles  W.  of  Mantua,  falling  from 
the  Alps  into  the  Ollius,  an  affluent  of  the  Po.  This  was  in  Vergil's 
own  country. 


NOTES.  95 

[281 — 314.  If  the  stock  fail,  try  ihe  Egyptian  method:  builil  a  liitle 
air-tighl  chamber;  beat  a  bullock  to  death,  keeping  the  skin  whole, 
and  put  the  carcase  with  herbs  into  the  chamber.  Alter  a  short  time  a 
-:warm  of  bees  will  emerge  from  the  carcase.] 

281.  deficio  orig.  with  dat.,  in  classical  times  was  regularly  used  with 
acc.     So  we  say  '  strength  fails  me '. 

283.  The  Arcadian  nuisUr  is  Aristaeus,  son  of  Apollo  and  the 
water-nymph  Cyllene,  a  shepherd  and  skilled  keeper  of  bees.  See  G. 
I.  14,  where  he  is  called  cultor  nemorum. 

285.     uisiticeriis,  '  putrid  *. 

The  superstition  that  dead  bodies  of  animals  gave  birth  to  bees 
^rose  no  doubt  from  bees  buildmg  in  hollow  skeletons  of  animals,  when 
they  could  not  find  hollow  trees  or  rocks  to  suit  them.  Compare  the 
well-known  tale  of  Samson  and  the  lion's  carcase. 

allius  &c., '  I  will  unfold  all  the  tale  from  the  first  {altius,  'far  back'), 
tracing  it  from  its  source '. 

287.  Catwpus,  a  large  city  on  the  coast  of  Egypt  near  the  W. 
mouth  of  tlie  Nile  :  called  Fellaeus,  because  Egypt  was  conquered  by 
Alexander  the  Great,  and  became  part  of  the  Macedonian  Empire,  of  w  hich 
Pella  (not  far  from  the  head  of  the  Thermaic  gulf)  was  the  capital. 

288.  slagftantem,  as  the  great  inundating  river. 

290.  '  \Vhere  the  border  of  quiver-bearing  Persia  presses  close'. 
Persia  is  used  very  vaguely,  perhaps  for  Syria  and  Arabia  as  part  of 
the  Persian  Empire. 

292.  Indis,  the  Romans  knew  very  little  of  the  upper  Nile,  and 
Indi  is  used  poetically  for  the  Aelhiopians  S.  of  Egypt. 

291 — 3  are  read  in  various  orders  in  liic  MSS.  :  and  the  prolixity 
and  monotonous  rhythm  rather  point  here  to  our  having  (what  has 
happened  several  times  in  the  Aeneid)  different  versions  all  niixctl  up. 

I  have  followed  what  seems  the  best  order,  that  of  Rom.  MS. 

294.     hue  arte,  i.e.  bee-breeding  from  carcases. 

298.  a  ventis,  'on  the  side  of,  'in  the  direction  of,  'toward  ',  an 
idiomatic  use  of  a.  So  a  fronte,  a  latere,  ab  orietite,  a  meridie,  ab 
decumana  porta,  where  we  say  '  on  ',  or  '  at '. 

301.  obstruitur,  'stopped',  'gagged'. 

302.  solvontur,  '  mashed  '. 

viscera  as  usual  is  'the  flesh '  [not  entrails  as  often  construed]. 

306.  ante  </utim  rubeant,  the  sut)j  after  antequiiiii  in  its  regular  use 
(where  care  is  taken  to  do  one  thing  before  the  other  happens),  usually 
classe<l  witliy?«a/ subj. 

309.  visenda  viodis  miris,  lit.  'to  be  marked  in  wondrous  wise',  a 
formal  and  antiqu.ited  expression  {mod  tnir.  Lucretian,  see  G.  I.  477) 
for  the  sake  of  inipressiveness.  We  may  perhaps  simplify  in  translating 
'  marvellous  to  note  '. 

310.  pedum  for  the  ox(\'u\a.xy  pedibiis,  truncus  being  used  like  orbus 
and  vacuus,  naturally  with  abl.  but  also  (chielly  Augustan)  with  gen. 
The  gen.  may  be  justified  as  the  Latin  gen.  of  relation,  '  in  respect  of: 
but  ni)  doubt  the  much  greater  u->c  maile  of  it  by  Augustans  (esj).  Vergil) 
is  due  to  the  influence  of  Greek,  where  the  gen.  has  also  the  ablative 
nie.iiiing. 


96  VERGIL.    GEORG    J  V. 

311.     miscenttir,  76. 

aera  carpunl,  see  ill.  325,  '  take  to  the  air ',  '  range  the  aii  '. 

313.  erupere,  gnomic. 

3 1 4.  The  Parthians  are  named  as  the  most  famous  archers  .. 
skirmishers  and  are  naturally  called  leves  '  nimble  '. 

Where  Vergil  got  this  elaborate  method,  involving  such  a  . 
rural  superstition,   is  not  known  :    but  the  precept   is  given    in   eve. 
greater   detail    in    a    work    called    Gcoponica    ('  Agricultural    notes  '^ 
ascribed  to  a  writer  Florentinus  about  900  A.  D.,  who  professes  to  gel  '  ' 
information  partly  from  Varro.     If  so  Yergil  may  have  been  follow 
Varro,  but  in  the  latter's  extant  works  there  is  nothing  about  it. 

[315 — 381.     The  invention  was  due  to  Aristaeus,  who  lost  his  '•" 
and  called  the  nymph  Gyrene  his  mother  to  aid  him.     She  heard  ' 
she  sate  in  the  depths  with  her  nymphs  around  her.     Arethusa  \ 
to  see  what  the  cry  was,  and  told  Gyrene.     The  water  parted  anu 
came  down,  and  marvelled  at  the  palace  under  water  and  the  divers 
river-founts.     They  feasted  him  :  and  after  due  prayers  Gyrene  spoke  : 

315.  The  address  to  the  Muses  marks  as  usual  an  important  break 
here  the  episode  of  Aristaeus :  so  he  invokes  the  Gods  below  at  the 
beginning  of  the  entry  to  Hades,  A.  vi.  264  :  and  the  Muses  when 
Aeneas  lands  in  Italy  Vil.  37. 

316.  'Whence  did  this  new  adventure  of  man  find  its  source?' 
strained  and  emphatic  language. 

317.  Aristanis,  G.  I.  14:  above  283.  His  mother  was  the 
nymph  Cyretie,  daughter  of  the  river-god  Peneus.  The  river  flows 
through  a  very  remarkable  defile,  between  the  ranges  of  Olympus  and 
Ossa,  in  N.  Thessaly.  called  Tempe  [T^/uttj;,  Greek  neuter  plural]. 

Where  the  story  comes  from  is  not  known.  [Heyne's  suggestion, 
that  it  was  from  the  ancient  cyclic  poet  Eumenes  (adopted  Ijy  G.  P. 
F.  &c.),  rests  merely  on  the  tradition  that  he  wrote  a  ^ovyoyla,  and  the 
conjecture  that  this  tale  was  there.] 

319.     ca/>u/  clearly  the  '  source  ',  as  368. 

323.  Thymbraeus,  name  of  Apollo,  from  Thymbra  (near  Ilium)  in 
the  Troad,  where  was  a  famous  tem[)le  of  Apollo. 

326.  By  the  '  crown  of  this  mortal  life '  he  means  his  fame  as  a 
tiller  of  the  soil,  cultor  nemorurn,  and  breeder. 

328.  te  matre,  'though  thou  art  my  mother',  and  with  thy  divine 
power  mightest  have  aided  me. 

329.  felix,  'fruitful ',  the  original  meaning,  connected  with  stem  <(>v- 
and  fe-  tus,  fe-  nus,  fe-  cundus,  fe-  mina:  so  nulla  felix  arbor  Li  v.  V.  24, 
felices  arbores  Gato  dixit  quae  fructum  ferunt  Fe>t.  92. 

331.  molire,  wield,  used  of  any  effort :  hewing  here  :  driving,  m. 
halienas  A.  xii.  327  :  ploughing  m.  terram  aratro  G.  i.  494  :  hurling, 
fulmina  m.  G.  i.  329. 

334.     Milesia,  111.  306. 

This  passage  about  the  nymph  is  from  Homer's  account  of  Thetis 
//.  XVIII.  34  ; — 

'Achilles  moaned:  and  his  mother  heard  him  as  she  sate  in  the 
depths  of  the  sea. ..and  the  goddesses  thronged  around  her...Thaleia 
and  Kymodoke  and  Ncsaia  and  Speio...&c. ' 


NOTES.  97 

336.  Drytnoqtu :  see  above  ill.  385,  iv.  221. 

337.  caesariem  effusae,  'with  their  bright  locks  shed';  for  the  ace. 
III.  307. 

'"  338.     This  line  is  probably  spuriousi,  as  it  alone  contains  names 
Homer's  list  of  Nereids  (see  above  334) :  it  also  recurs  A.  V.  826 
•ifce  it  has  come  hither,  no  doubt). 
340.     Liicina,  G.  III.  60. 

342.     auro,  belt,  quiver,  buckles,  hair-snood,  &c.     These  nymphs 
"re  huntresses  clearly,  like  Arethusa  below. 
34.^.     Ephyre  atque.    The  Greek  licence  of  open  (long)  vowels  is 
naturally   used   in   a   passage   of  Greek  names.     So  Khodopeiae  arces 
"^J-'OW  461. 

'<»6.     This  refers  to  the  old  savage  tale  how   Mars  (Ares)  made 
faithless  to  her  lord  Volcanus  (found  in  Odyssey  vill.). 
''•''  '  The  phrase  '  fruitless  care  '  will  include  love,  anxiety,  and  vigilance 
on  the  part  of  the  deluded  Volcanus. 

347.  aqut  Chao,  'and  from  Chaos',  i.e.  from»the  beginning  of  the 
-Avorld. 

densos,  lit.  'thronging',  unusual  for  'countless'. 

353.  frustra,  'for  nought',  'idly':  there  was  a  real  cause  for^her 
alarm. 

359 — 361.     From  Homer;  see  Homeric  parallels. 

364.  The  scenery  under  the  water  is  like  that  on  earth:  only  the 
rivers  are  made  to  have  their  source  there. 

367.  diversa  locis,  'separate':  /orw  artificially  added,  lit.  'in  respect 
of  their  places ',  not  wanted  in  English. 

Phasis,  river  of  Colchis,  flowing  into  S.E.  end  of  Euxine. 
Lycus,  river  of  Pontus,  flowing  from  hills  of  Armenia  into  the  Iris 
and  so  into  S.  side  of  Euxine. 

368.  Enipeus,  river  of  S.  Thessaly,  a  feeder  of  the  Peneius. 

369.  saxosusque  sonans,  (i)  note  souttd  imitntion  of  the  dashing 
rocky  torrent:  (2)  the  strained  Vergilian  use  oi  adj.  saxosus:  like 
iucxpUtus  lacrimans,  densi  tela  intorquent,  ostendit  se  Je.xlra. 

Hypanis,  a.  river  of  Sarmatia  (S.  Russia)  which  flows  into  the  sea  of 
Azov  at  the  N.E.  end  of  the  Crimea. 

Caicus  in  Mysia,  rising  in  M.  Temnus  and  flowing  into  the  Acgaean 
a  little  .S.  of  Lesbos. 

370.  pater,  the  reverent  title  of  gods  and  rivers. 

Anio  rises  in  Apennines  E.  of  Rome,  flows  past  Tibur  and  joins 
the  Tiber  just  above  Rome. 

371 — 3.  The  Eridaiius,  a  fabled  river  of  the  western  lands,  first 
in  Hcsiod  (?),  7'heogoriy,  I.  338:  Herodotos  (III.  115)  says  it  flows 
into  Oceanos  in  west  of  Europe.  It  was  afterwards  identitied  with 
the  Po,  even  by  Greek  poets  (Eur.  //;//■  737).  and  regularly  by 
Romans. 

Vergil  holds  it  in  special  honour,  as  the  greatest  river  in  Italy,  and 
of  his  own  native  Lomijardy:  it  is  the  'king  of  rivers'  (G.  I.  482)  and 
its  fount  is  in  the  abodes  of  the  blest  below  (A.  VI.  659). 

371.  'With  bull's  head  and  both  horns  gilt':  a  double  reference, 
complicated  in  Vergil's  manner:  (i)  river-gods  were  regularly  represented 

G.  III.  IV.  7 


98  VERGIL.    GEORG.    IV. 

with  bull's  horns  or  heads  {tauriforinis  Aufidus  Hor.  IV.  Od.  14.  25: 
'Y\\^\ix\%...corniger  ^\x\'\\\^  A.  viii.  77),  doubtless  as  a  primitive  sign  of 
strength.  (2)  The  sacred  bull  of  the  Roman  triumphs  was  a  white  bull 
with  gilt  horns:  so  the  great  festival  of  the  triumph,  at  once  national 
and  religious,  is  suggested  by  a  word.  Similarly  the  Bull  (sign  of 
Zodiac)  in  (7.  I.  217  is  Cauduiiis  auratis  cortiibus. 

374.  'Roofs  hanging  with  lava',  Veigilian  variation  for  'hanging 
lava  roofs':  so pictas  abide  pttppes,  virgulta  sonaniia  laiiro,  immensa 
voluiniHi:  tcrga,  liquontur  sanguine  guttae,  &c. 

The  relation  of  the  subst.  to  the  phrase  is  changed  from  the  more  to 
the  less  natural. 

376 — I'i'O.  So  when  the  suitors  feast  in  the  Odyssey,  they  have  first 
the  '  golden  ewer  and  silver  basin '  to  wash  hands,  and  then  platters 
with  divers  kinds  of  flesh. 

Notice  the  choice  language  to  dignify  common  things:  water  is 
liqiiidos  fontes,  a  towel  is  tonsis  mantelia  villis,  incense  is  '  Panchaean 
fire' :  cups  are  carchetia,  wine  is  nectar:  hearth  is  yesta.  So  G.  I.  295, 
II.  234,  A.  vii.  Ill,  &c. 

379.  Panchaea.  Euhemeros,  a  Sicilian,  a  courtier  of  the  Mace- 
donian king  Cassander  about  B.C.  316,  being  furnished  by  the  king  with 
money  went  a  long  journey  of  w  hich  he  wrote  a  narrative.  He  became 
famous  for  his  method  of  treating  the  stories  of  gods  and  heroes  as 
exaggerated  tales  of  mere  men.  He  tells  of  an  island  Panchaea  near 
Arabia,  very  rich  and  happy.  The  name  here  practically  =  'Arabian' 
and  the  phrase  means  'burnt  incense',  Arabia  being  the  land  of 
spices. 

adolesco,]\xstasadoleo,  prop,  'to  increase'  or  'magnify',  is  used  in  the 
technical  religious  sense  of  'to  burn'  or  'fire'  {verbenas  adolere  Eel. 
VIII.  65  :  altaria  ad.  A.  vii.  71),  so  adolesco,  prop,  'to  grow ',  is  here  used 
in  a  corresponding  intrans.  sense  '  to  blaze'. 

380.  Alaeonii.  Lydia  was  called  in  Homer  Maeonia,  and  the 
Lydian  wine  was  famous,  see  G.  Ii.  98. 

382.  Homer  (//.  XI  v.  202,  266)  calls  Okeanos  'the  source  of  all  the 
gods',  and  the  earliest  Greek  nature-philosophy  [Thales,  circ.  600  H.c] 
I  bought  water  the  origin  of  all  things.  Vergil's  reference  will  include 
both. 

384.  The  '  hearth '  is  called  Vesta,  as  names  of  gods  are  often  used 
for  the  things  which  are  their  province  :  e.g.  Mars,  Bacchus,  Neptunus, 
Volcanus,  Venus,  Ceres. 

[387 — 414.  '  There  is  an  ancient  deity  of  the  sea,  Proteus,  who 
knows  all  things.  Catch  him  with  chains :  hold  him  fast  though  he 
changes  form  :  and  he  will  tell  you  what  to  do.  I  will  lead  you  to  a 
place  of  ambush '.J 

387.  Carpathos  is  the  soirthernmost  isle  of  the  Aegaean  (except 
Crete)  and  the  Carpathian  sea  is  the  sea  S.  of  the  isle. 

In  Homer  the  scene  is  laid  in  'an  isle  Pharos  over  against  Egypt, 
one  day's  voyage  in  a  hollow  ship':  and  Vergil  does  not  probably  mean 
to  change  the  place,  but  only  uses  'Carpathian'  with  his  usual  elasticity 
of  geogra[ihical  names. 

388—9.     Ihcpisces  are  sea-monsters,  the  front  part  like  a  horse,  the 


NOTES.  99 

hinder  part  a  fish's  tail :  so  bipedum  equorum  is  merely  another  phrase 
for  the  same. 

'With  fish-drawn  chariot  of  two-footed  steeds.'     (R.) 

388.  caerulfus,  'sea-dark',  used  by  the  poets  of  anything  belonging 
to  the  sea:  as  sea-gods:  Neptune,  Triton,  Nereus,  Thetis,  and  nymphs 
(Ovid):  of  Neptune's  car  {A.  v.  819)  and  horses  (Ovid):  of  ships 
{A.  V.  123):  even  of  river-gods  (viii.  64)  and  even  their  hair  (Ov.  M. 
V.  432). 

390 — X.  Emathia,  strictly  the  valley  of  the  Axius  in  Macedonia, 
here  used  for  the  whole  of  Macedonia:  as  in  G.  i.  492.  Pallene,  the 
W.  peninsula  of  Chalcidice. 

Proteus  in  Homer  is  the  'ancient  of  the  sea'  who  knows  all  the  sea 
depths,  tends  the  seals  (the  flock  of  Poseidon)  in  Pharos,  and  lies  down 
amongst  them  to  sleep.  He  knows  all  that  is  to  be,  and  can  change  into 
any  shape. 

The  connection  of  Proteus  with  Macedonia  is  later. 

393.  The  subjunctives  are  best  taken,  not  as  indirect  question  (P.  K.) 
but  as  indefinite  or  generic,  '  whatsoever  is,  or  has  been,  or  shall  be  in 
due  course '. 

397.     '  And  make  the  end  prosperous'. 

^99.  vim  et  vincula,  mixed  abstr.  and  concr.,  as  often  in  V.,  see  III. 
182! 

400.  haec  detmim,  ^these\  emphatic:  dernum  is  used  as  an  enclitic 
to  emphasize  demonstratives:  ea  dernum  firma  amicilia  est  Sail.  C.  XX. 
4:  hac  dernum  consistere  terra  A.  I.  629:  ilia  seges  dernum  votis 
respondet  avari  G.  i.  47  :  and  turn  dernum,  nunc  dernum. 

doli,  'his  tricks',  Proteus'. 

407.  atraque  tigris,  'dark'  or  'evil  tigress'.  So  we  have  atri 
serpentes  (V.),  ater  versus  and  atro  detite  (malignant),  Horace. 

[415 — 452.  She  rubbed  him  with  ambrosia,  and  led  him  to  Proteus' 
cave.  At  mid-day  he  came  to  his  cavern:  the  seals  who  followed  lay 
down,  and  the  god  sate  on  a  rock.  Aristaeus  seized  him,  and  held  fast 
though  he  changed  form,  to  a  beast,  a  fire,  a  river.  He  asked  why  Arist. 
had  come,  and  was  told  'to  seek  an  oracle'.] 

416.  /^t-i/mx/V,  'steeped'.  The  Homeric  story  makes  Eidothee  put 
fresh  seal-skins  over  Menelaos'  companions,  for  an  ambush:  then  she 
set  ambrosia  before  each  man's  nose  to  do  away  with  the  sea-stench  of 
the  skins. 

418.     habilis,  'nimble'. 

421.     deprensis,  'caught'  in  a  storm.  ' 

424.  nehulis  obscura,  as  in  Homer  regularly  the  gods  can  hide  them- 
selves at  will  in  a  mist. 

resistit,  '  stands  still',  'abides'. 

425.  rapidus,  'violent'  or  'fiery',  used  of  aestus,  'noontide  heat'. 
Eel.  II.  10:  ignis,  'the  fire'  in  a  furnace  or  closed  oven,  G.  IV.  263  :  ami 
Lucret.  has  rapidi  leones,  'ravening',  IV.  712. 

'The  fiery  Sirius,  scorching  the  thirsty  Indians,  was  blazing  in  the 
sky  '.  Sirius,  or  '  dog  of  Orion',  the  brilliant  star  .S.E.  of  Orion,  famous 
from  Homer's  day  as  the  sign  of  the  hottest  season.     At  the  time  wlicn 


loo  VERGIL.    GEORG.    IV. 

the  Iliad  was  composed  Sirius' rising  (apparent  morning  rising)  in  Greece 
Monid  be  about  the  middle  of  July.  In  Vergil's  time  at  Rome  the  date 
was  some  three  weeks  later:  but  still  no  doubt  the  weather  would  be 
usually  hot  enough  to  justify  the  traditional  reference  to  Sirius.  Indos 
as  the  people  who  lived  in  the  tropical  heat. 

There  are  two  points  in  this  passage:  Sirius  was  blazing  (it  was 
midsummer),  and  the  sun  had  run  half  his  course  (it  was  mid-day). 

^27.  hauseml,  'had  devoured',  vivid  word  for  'accomplished';  so 
rapio,  corripio  are  used  of  'getting  over  the  ground'. 

427—8.  Note  the  compressed  and  accumulated  force  of  the  descrip- 
tion :  cava,  siccis,  ad  limut/i,  tepefacta,  coqucbant,  all  emphasizing  the 
heat. 

The  stream  low  between  high  banks  is  boldly  and  vividly  described 
as  'dry-moutht'd'  (siccis  faucibtis).  fauces  here  has  nothing  to  do  with 
the  'mouth  '  of  the  river  in  its  ordinary  sense. 

431.  ros,  lit.  'dew',  is  used  oi  lake  water  G.  I.  385:  oi  rivtn-  water 
A.  V.  854:  q{  blood  A.  XII.  339:  and  here  n{  sea  water. 

436.  scopulo  mediiis,  characteristic  variation  for  medio.  So 
cesserunt  medii,  advcrsafcrit,  sese  tulit  obvia,  &c. :  see  369. 

437.  cuius,  obj.  gen.  'of  seizing  him'. 

quoiiiam  m  its  older  sense  'when',  found  in  Plautus  and  Terence 
commonly,  is  quoniatn  morilur  Aid.  Prol.  9:  quoniam  ille  elociitus, 
extciiiplo  facio  As.  11.  2.  83  [quoniam  is  quom-iam,  and  is  only  an 
instance  of  the  common  change  from  temporal  to  causal  meanings :  cu7n, 
quaiido,  iird,  on,  ah,  da,  as,  since,  &c.). 

445.  7!am  quis',  'who  then?'  common  colloquial  particle  in  excited 
questjons,  usually  after  the  interrog.,  quisnam,  quidnam,  and  Greek  7ap 
and  apa. 

447.  An  ambiguous  line,  which  as  far  as  the  Lat.  goes  may  mean, 
(i)  'nor  can  aught  escape  thee  '  (W.) ;  (2)  'nor  can  one  deceive  thee  in 
aught'  (H.  F.  L.);  (3)  '  nor  canst  thou  deceive  me  in  aught '  (C.  P.). 

I  believe  (i)  is  right,  as  being  the  most  natural  meaning.  'Thou 
knowest,  Proteus,  thou  knowest  thyself,  nor  can  aught  escape  thee: 
cease  to  try  to  deceive'.  An  objection  to  this  is  raised  that  we  have  to 
supply ya/Zd-r^  in  a  different  sense  after  vclle:  but  we  must  remember  that 
the  word  being  the  same  it  would  be  far  easier  in  Latin  than  in  any  other 
language. 

448.  deunt,  it  was  only  the  nymph  Cyrene  who  had  told  him. 

449.  lassis,  'our  wearied'  fortunes,  so  Verg.  uses  fessis  rebus. 
Otlicrs  lapsis,  'fallen'. 

450.  vi  multa,  '  much  constrained  '. 

451.  glauco,  'grey',  .specially  used  of  water-gods  and  their  belong- 
ings :  so  Father  Tiber  {A.  viii.  33)  and  the  nymphs  (xil.  885)  have 
glaucum  amictum. 

452.  fatis,  'to  prophecy',  dat.  It  might  be  abl.  instr.,  but  less 
expressive. 

f4.S3^.'527-  Orpheus  is  wroth  with  thee :  Eurydice,  fleeing  thee, 
was  slain  by  a  snake.  Orpheus  was  inconsolable,  and  went  after 
her  to  Hades.  He  charmed  the  shades:  and  the  Furies  and  Cerberus 
and   even   the   tortured   sinners  :    and  got  his  wife  again,     liut  at  the 


NOTES.  .  loi 

moment  of  escape,  he  turned  and  looked  at  her  :  she  went  back 
reluctant  to  Hades.  Seven  months  he  wept  for  her,  like  the  nightin- 
gale for  her  young  :  till  the  Thracian  women  in  a  frenzy  tore  iiim 
to  pieces,  and  the  Hebrus  rolled  away  his  head,  still  lamenting  for 
Eurydice.] 

453.     Notice  nuUifts  in  arsis  before  vowel. 

455.  hatidqiiaquam  ob  mcrittim,  a  well-known  difficulty. 

(i)  C.  L.  II.  F.  take  it  with  viiserabilis,  'Orpheus  hapless  by 
no  fault  of  his':  but  the  sense  is  weak,  and  the  order  is  rather 
against  it. 

(2)  K.  P.  take  it  of  Aristaeus,  'penalties  undeserved  by  thee'; 
but  this  cannot  by  any  ingenuity  be  reconciled  with  magna  luis 
commissa.     If  Aristaeus  was  guilty,  he  had  deserved  the  penalty. 

(3)  I  believe  Servius  is  riglu  in  rendering  'non  tales  quales 
mereris';  a  person  suffers  an  oiiequate  penalty  ob  meritum  'for  his 
deserts',  and  he  may  be  said  (logically  though  unusually)  to  suffer 
an  inaJequaie  penalty  handquaqiiam  ob  meritum  'nowise  for  his 
deserts',  i.e.  less  than  he  deserves. 

ni  fa/a  resistant,  'should  fate  allow':  the  tense  is  right,  as  it  is 
not  yet  settled  whether  the  penalty  is  to  be  suffered  to  the  full  or  no. 

456.  coniuge,  Eurydice  a  wood-nymph  of  Thrace. 

457.  cium  te  fugent.  This  is  a  unique  use  of  dum  in  a  final 
sense  with  subj.  Ordinarily  the  use  is  easy  (whether  (/«/w= 'until' 
or  'while'),  e.g.  multum  ille  et  terris  iactatus...</«w  conderet  urbem, 
i.e.  'he  endured  much  by  land  and  sea  and  wur... till  he  should biiild\ 
A.  I.  3  :  rex  quatluor  millia  armatorum,  diwi  recens  terjvr  esset,  misit, 
i.e.  'while  the  alarm  should  be  still  fresh'. 

Here  there  is  no  other  verb  or  act  for  the  purpose  diim  fugeret 
to  depend  on  (for  certainly  the  principal  verb  non  vidit  will  not  do) : 
what  Vergil  really  means  is  ^  while  she  was  running  away  in  order  to 
escape',  and  the  real  lielp  to  the  analysis  Is  given  by  the  word  praeceps. 
The  best  thing  to  say  is  that  the  fuller  sense  dam  se  praecipitabat  ut 
fugeret  or  dum  praeceps  currebat  ut  te  fugeret  is  compressed  into 
dum  te  fugeret  praeceps . 

per,  here  stretched  in  sense,  'along'. 

4  =  9.     servantem,  'guarding',  vivid  word  for  'lying'  on  the  bank. 

460.  Dryadum  (Greek  word,  SpOj,  'a  tree'  or  oak),  'wood-nymphs' 
(III.  40). 

461.  Rhodopeiae,  III.  351.     For  metrical  hiatus,  see  iv.  343. 

462.  Pangaeus  was  a  mountain  on  the  coast  of  Macedonia  near 
the  Slrymon. 

A'hesi  Mavortia  tellus  is  Thrace :  Rhesus  is  nicnlioncd  in  the 
Iliad  X.  434  as  king  of  the  Thracians :  as  a  savage  warlike  race 
they  were  specially  under  the  protection  of  Alars  or  AJavors,  god 
of  war:  so  A.  ril.  13,  35. 

463.  The  Gelae  were  savages  who  lived  near  the  Danube  mouths 
on  the  remotest  borders  of  Thrace  to  N.K.  (iii.  462).  (Note  hiatus 
again.) 

Hebrus  (the  Maritza),  the  principal  river  of  'I'lir.ice,  draining  the 
country  between  the  Halkaiis  and  Klii»doi)e. 

7—3 


I02  VERGIL.    GEORG.    IV. 

Tlie  ' Actian  OreitJiyia  wis  daugliter  of  Erechthcits,  mytlii  al 
king  of  Attica  (anciently  called  Actc,  'the  coast'),  who  was  carried  off 
by  Horeas  (the  north  wind)  to  Thrace. 

464.     testudfl,  lit.  '  tortoise',  often  used  for  a  tortoise-shell  lyre. 

467.  Taenarias.  Taoiarus  was  the  south  promontory  of  Laconia, 
where  was  a  temple  of  Poseidon,  and  a  cave  supposed  to  lead  to 
Hades.  Dis  is  one  of  the  Roman  names  for  the  god  of  the  under 
world  (Hades  or  Pluto). 

470.  Hades  is  called  in  Homer  (//.  tx.  154)  ^  he  wJiom  none  can 
soothe\  'implacable'  (auei'Xtxos). 

471.  Erebos  (Greek  word,  =  darkness),  one  of  the  names  of  the 
world  below. 

472.  luce  carentum,  255. 

476.  maptanimum,  old  form  of  gen.  plur.  So  V.  has  virum, 
deitm,  Massylum,  divom,  caelicohtm,  &c.  :  but  the  form  is  rare  in 
adj. 

This  beautiful  and  touching  description  of  the  dead  is  used  again  in 
A.  VI.  303.  It  is  partly  imitated  from  Homer's  account  {Od.  xi.  38) 
of  the  shades  that  came  up  to  see  Odysseus  :  but  it  is  more  subtly 
pathetic,  e.g.  477  is  all  Vergil's  own. 

478.    deformis,  'hideous'. 

479 — 80.  Cocytus  (KwKuros,  'wailing')  and  Styx  (SryJ,  'hate')  are 
well-known  rivers  of  Hades.    .The  lines  recur  A.  vi.  438. 

480.     alligaty  'binds  fast',  so  that  they  cannot  escape. 

482.  Tartara,  the  abode  of  the  wicked  below,  often  used  vaguely 
for  the  whole  region  :  '  The  homes  -and  inmost  deeps  of  death '. 

iviplexae  angues,  for  the  construction  see  III.  307. 

The  Furies  (called  Eumenides,  the  'kindly  ones',  to  propitiate  them) 
were  commonly  represented  with  snakes  for  hair.  Vergil  here  slightly 
alters  the  picture:  though  A.  vii.  329  Allecto  (a  i\xxy) pullulat  colubris. 

483.  Cerberus,  the  three-headed  dog  of  Pluto. 

484.  vento  constititi  because  the  wind  which  moved  the  wheel  may 
also  be  said  (by  abating)  to  still  the  wheel.  So  Soph.  Seti'wv  r  drj/xa 
TTuev/jLaTwt'  eKol/j.i.a€  (TThoura  irovrov,  'the  blast  of  the  dread  winds  has 
lullfd  \hy  ceasing]  the  roaring  sea'.     So  nubes  retexit  montem. 

Orpheus'  song  makes  the  wind  stop,  and  that  stops  the  wheel.  For 
Jxion  see  III.  38. 

487.     Proserpina,  queen  of  Hades  :  corruption  of  Greek  nep<r£(p6v7}, 

4S9.  Manes,  prop,  'the  shades',  here  used  of  the  powers  below 
vaguely. 

491.  imme7nor,  'forgetful'  of  the  condition  that  he  was  not  to  look 
back  at  her,  which  we  have  to  infer  from  V.'s  rapid  narrative.  Ovid 
Met.  X.  80  is  clearer,  '  And  this  command  the  Thracian  hero  received, 
not  to  turn  back  his  eyes  till  he  emerged  from  the  valley  of  Avernus : 
else  the  gift  would  be  vain'. 

victus  aninii,  'overpowered  at  heart',  i.e.  his  resolve  overborne  by 
love.     For  aw////;  see  III.  289. 

493-  stagnis  Avernis,  '  the  pools  of  Avernus ',  properly  one  of  the 
volcanic  lakes  near  Cumae  in  Campania  :  its  banks  were  wooded  and 
dark,  and  the  water  gave  out  sulphureous  vapours.     It  was  supposed  to 


NOTES.  103 

be  in  direct  connection  with  the  lower  workl,  and  the  name  Avenius  is 
often  used  as  here  fol-  Hades  itself. 

496.  natantia,  'swimming'  eyes,  not  as  we  use  it  of  weepiui^,  but 
of  dying,  to  which  the  metaphor  is  quite  as  appropriate  :  it  describes 
the  flickering  uncertain  sight  of  a  dying  person.  So  of  eyes  overpowered 
with  sleep,  A.  V.  856  natantia  lumina  solvit. 

500.  diversa,  'away',  so  diversus  abis  A.  v.  166,  xi.  855,  div.  ferri 
A.  XII.  495,  &c 

502.  Orci,  one  of  the  names  for  Hades;  the  'ferryman'  is  Charon, 
who  took  the  shades  across  the  Acheron  :  see  the  splendid  description 
A.  VI.  -298. 

504.  faceret,  ferrety  moveret,  the  past  deliberative,  'what  was  he  to 
do?' 

508.  Strymon,  river  of  Macedonia  not  far  from  Thrace. 

509.  haec  evolvisse,  'unfolded  the  tale'  in  song  :  Orpheus'  power  to 
tame  wild  beasts  and  draw  the  trees  along  was  famous.  So  Horace 
{Od.  III.  II.  13)  to  the  lyre  :    Tu potes  tigres  cornitesque  silvas  ducere. 

517.  HyperboreaSyiu.  1^6.  7a«a«,  the  Don,  river  of  central  Russia 
falling  into  the  sea  of  Azov. 

518.  Rhipads,  in.  382. 

520.  Cicones,  properly  a  Thracian  tribe  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Hebrjis:  here  used  (by  a  common  poetic  usage)  for  Thrace  generally. 

munere,  'service',  a  pathetic  word  for  Orpheus'  love  and  faithful 
inconsolable  sorrow. 

The  story  was  that  Orpheus'  ceaseless  lament  for  Eurydice  roused 
the  jealousy  of  the  women  (rnatres)  of  Thrace,  who  under  the  excite- 
ment of  the  Bacchic  frenzy  tore  him  in  pieces  and  threw  his  head  into 
the  Hebrus. 

524.  cum  medio,  variation  for  medio  simply  :  so  madida  cum  vesta 
gravatus. 

Oeagrius,  '  Thracian, '  from  Oeagros  king  of  Thrace :  peculiarly  appro- 
priate here,  as  Oeagros  was  father  of  Orpheus  by  the  Muse  Calliope. 

527.  toto  flumine,  'all  along  the  stream',  local  abi.  like  caelo 
ducitis  annum  G.  i.  6,  suffuderit  ore  i.  430,  puteis  nianare  cruor 
I-  485.  &c. 

[528 — 547.  Proteus  leapt  into  the  sea:  Cyrene  told  Aristaeus  how 
to  appease  the  nymphs  with  sacrifice  of  cattle,  which  done,  he  would 
find  that  Eurydice's  vengeance  no  longer  pursued  him.] 

529.  vertex,  '  the  whirlpool '  made  by  the  leap  of  Proteus. 

530.  non  Cyrene,  i.e.  she  did  not  leave  him  in  his  perplexity. 
ultro,  204. 

535.     pacem,  '  pardon' :  so  '  pace  tua',  'by  your  leave'. 
Napcuas,  'nymphs  of  the  vale'  (fawr;,  'a  dell'). 

539.  Lycaeus,  m.  in  Arcadia,  III.  2. 

540.  inloita.  It  was  a  common  ancient  feeling  that  the  animal 
ofTercd  should  never  have  felt  the  yoke  :  Hoin.  Od.  ill.  382  (the  unyoked 
heifer  to  Athene),  A.  vi.  38  (seven  unyoked  cattle  to  Phoeljus). 

545.     Orphei,  Greek  dat.  (inferias  apposition  to  papaverd). 
The  poppy  is  called  I.ethaean  from  Lclhc,  the  'water  of  forgctfulness' 
(Xjj(?7;),  a  nver  in  Hades  where  the  souls  destined  to  live  again  in  othei 


104  VERGIL.    GEORG.   IV. 

bodies  drank  oblivion  of  their  former  life,  A.  VI.  705.  So  commonly 
applied  to  the  sleepy  and  soothing  poppy  {G.  I.  78)".  The  offering  is  to 
soothe  the  shade  of  Orpheus  and  make  him  forget  his  woes. 

547.  The  simplest  explanation  of  this  line  is  that  of  Lad.  Con.  P., 
that  when  he  'revisits  the  grove '  where  the  oxen's  carcases  are  he  will 
tiiid  the  bees,  and  know  that  Eurydice  is  appeased;  then  he  must  'ofler 
a  heifer  to  the  appeased  Eurydice'. 

[548— end.  He  offered  the  cattle :  and  from  the  carcases  came 
swarms  of  bees.  Conclusion  :  tliis  I  write  while  Augustus  is  marching 
victorious  through  the  east, — I  the  poet  of  shepherds,  and  student  at 
Naples.] 

556.     strid?ie,  262. 

558.  uvam  demittere,  'drop  their  cKister':  bold  use  of  iiva,  which 
means  a  grape. 

560 — 2.  This  refers  to  Augustus'  triumphant  march  through  Syria 
and  Asia  Minor  in  31  B.C.  after  Aclium,  when  he  received  the  submission 
of  the  eastern  empire.  There  was  no  fighting:  and  consequently 
'thunders  at  the  deep  Euphrates  with  war'  is  a  poetic  exaggeration:  it 
was  much  more  true  that  '  he  gave  laws  among  the  willing  nations'. 

S(se  notes  on  III.  26 — 33. 

562.  viamque  adftctat  Olympo,  'essays  the  path  to  heaven',  for 
Olympus  (in  Homer  the  snow-clad  mountain  in  N.  Thessaly,  where  the 
gods  lived)  is  in  the  Latin  poets  regularly  used  for  'heaven'. 

The  meaning  is  that  Augustus  sets  out  on  the  patli  that  leads  to  im- 
mortality. On  Vergil's  feeling  about  the  future  deification  of  Augustus 
see  Georgics  i.  24 — 36. 

For  dative  (poetic  use  for  ace.  with  ail)  compare  facilis  descensus 
Avcrno  A.  VI.  126,  caput  deturbat  terrae  (x.  555),  proiecit  _/?«z//o  (xii. 
256),  &c.     It  is  very  common  in  V. 

564.  Parthenope,  a  name  given  to  Naples  from  the  tale  that  a  Siren 
so  called  was  buried  there. 

565—6.  pastorum  refers,  as  well  as  566,  to  the  Eclogues,  of  which 
the  opening  line  addressed  to  a  shepherd  Tityrus,  is  Tityre  tu  patitlae 
ucubans  sub  tegDiine  fagi. 


(   I05  ) 


INDEX. 


(i)     GRAMMATICAL  AND   GENERAL. 


a,  'on  the  side  of,  iv.  298 
abstract  and  concrete,  ill.  182,  iv. 

399 
abstract  for  concrete,  verbere^  III. 

106 

adoUsco,  'blaze',  iv.  379 

adj.  as  subst.,  in.  124,  147,  291 

—  proleptic,  I  v.  104 

—  as  adv.,  iv.  370 
alcyone,  in.  338 
argutus.  III.  80 
aier,  iv.  407 
camurus,  ill.  55 
Cases 

Ace.  adverl)ial,   in.    149,  iv. 
122 

—  after   passive,  in.  307, 

IV.  337,  482 

—  extended    cognate,    in. 

338.  537 

—  respect,  in.  421 

—  after  aTcrtor,  \\\.  459 
Gen.  Achilli,  in.  91 

—  after  infdix,  in.  498 

—  —    quies,  iv.  184 

—  —    Ir uncus,  iv.  310 

—  in  -WW,  IV.  476 

Dat.  agent  after  part.,  in.  6 

—  ethic,  III.  19,  347 

—  agent  after /(7i^.,  170 

—  in  -«,  IV.  i,i,8,  198 

—  for  ace.  with  ad,  IV.  562 
Abl.  material,  in.  29 

—  local,  111.  149,  439,  &c. 

—  in  -«,  III.  447,  IV.  164 

—  course  of  time,  III.  565 


Log.  animi,  in,  289 
crudus.  III.  20 
demutn,  iv.  400 
excretus.  III.  398 
felix,  IV.  329 

glatuus  (water-gods),  I  v.  451 
hipp07na)ies,  in.  280 
honeydew,  iv.  i 
ille,  poetic  use,  in.  217,  500 
in  spent y  ni.  73 
in  version,  I  v.  144 
in  numeruni,  I  v.  175 
in  nodeni,  IV.  190 
laevus,  IV.  7 
mapalia.  III.  340 
middle  voice,  in.  3S3 
niisceor,  iv.  76,  311 
molior,  IV.  331 
Moons 

Indie,  pres.  w.  dnm,  in.  296 

—  perf.  gnomic,  in.  365, 

377,  IV.  213,  313 

—  perf.  after  duin,  iv.  85 
.SWy.  jussive,  ni.  404 

—  conditional,  mixed,  iv. 

117 

—  final  (with  rel.).  III.  145, 

IV.  9 

—  —    {(in/ei/uam), IV.  ^06 

—  .—    (dum),  IV.  457 

—  indefinite,  iv.  393 

—  indirect  quest.,  in.  24 

—  —      dep.  on   nodis, 

III.  159 

—  delib.  past,  iv.  504 
Polcnlial,  ill.  1 4  i 


io6 


INDEX. 


Infin.  after  aetas,  in.  60 

—  ace.  inf.  after  mos.  III. 

—  ace.  inf.  after  (r<//V<7,  III. 

—  after  incumbent,  IV.  249 

—  —   accitigor,  III.  46 
nam  in  questions,  IV.  445 
7iidi,  IV.  17 

nunurus,  IV.  327 
/^r  'along',  iv.  457 
plus  adverbial,  iv.  207 
preposition  dep.  on  subst.,  iv.  164 
proleptic  adj.,  I  v.  104 
promise  of  Aeneid,  111.  46 


quidm  climax,  in.  258 

quoniam  temporal,  IV.  437 

river-gods  as  bulls,  IV.  371 

sacer  ignis,  ill.  566 

sequor.  111.  40 

spadix.  III.  82 

stridhe,  IV.  262,  ,«;56 

suus,  IV.  22,  190 

ienus  gtn.,  HI.  53 

trans,  verbs  intrans.,  HI.  365 

vento  constitit,  iv.  ^84 

vescus,  III.  175 

ultra,  IV.  204,  265,  530 

world-spirit,  iv.  219 — 227 


(2)     STYLE. 


accumulated  expression  :  III.  502, 

IV.  36,  225,  427 
archaisms : 

tondebat,  IV.  137 
victu  dat. ,  IV.  158 
sorti  abl.,  IV.  164 
visenda  modis  miris,  IV.  309 
effective  phrases  or  passages : 
nature  description.  111.  23S 
graphic  and  forcible,  ill.  104, 

117,  497,  IV.  427 
imaginative,   in.  11,  37,  43, 

337,  478>  54'5,  iv.  17,  74 
playful  touches,  ill.  54,   102, 
163,  236,  IV.  3,  28,  64,  67 
— 87,  176,  209,  240 
choice  words,  in.  259,  533 
solemn   or   stately,  ill.    294, 

474 
pathos,  in.  228,  IV.  476,  520 
artificial,  ill.  25,  251,  502 
exaggeration.  III.  254 
Greek  forms : 

Pelion,  III.  94 
Aegyptos,  iv.  210 
Orphei,  IV.  545 
—  words: 

pompa.  III.  22 
hyinenaens,  in.  60 


oestrus,  III.  [48 

podagra.  III.  299 

chelydrus.  III.  415 

amurca.  III.  44S 

elleboros,  in.  451 

electrum.  III.  522 

daedala,  IV.  179 

psithia,  IV.  269 
Greek  constructions : 

cui  dictus,  ni.  6 

gnomic  perf.,  III.  365 

velatur  corpora,  in.  383 
—    metre,  in.  60,  IV,  137,  343 
horrors.  III.  514 
litemry  epithets.  III.  345 
metrical  peculiarities  : 

hiatus,  III.  155,  IV.  343 

arsis,  in.  189,332,  iv.  92,  ^~,}, 

hypermeter,  in.  242,  377,  449 

miscticrunt,  in.  282 

spondee  overhanging,  ill.  317, 
IV. 164,  196 

que.  III.  385,  IV.  222,  336 

tinutd,  IV.  58 

tondebat,  iv.  137 

Stella  spondee,  iv.  243 
sound  imitations: 

(crackle  of  ice),  III.  260 

(gallop),  in.  194 


INDEX. 


107 


(heavy  pressure),  III.  ?22 
(wave  breaking),  III.  238 
(slow  gait).  III.  317 
(dashing  water),  iv.  370 

stately  words  for  common  things, 
IV.  376—380 

stretch  of  construction: 

irasci  in  corniia,  III.  2 3 2 
litora  alcyonem  resonant,  in. 

338 
infelix  studiorum.  III.  498 
aequabat  opts  animis,  IV.  1  32 
saxosus  sonatis,  IV.  370 
scopiilo  niedius,  iv.  436 
cum  medio  for  medio,  IV.  522 
stretch  of  meaning: 

haur'it  corda pavor  (tugs),  III. 

104 
superesse  (strong  enough),  iii. 

127 
culpa  (mischief).  II i.  46S 
undis  abolere.  III.  559 
metunt  (gather  honey),  I  v.  54 
obnixus  (resolute),  iv.  84 
consors  (sharerl),  IV.   [53 
crates  favorum  (combs),   iv. 

214 
fetus  (honey),  iv.  231 
farits  (cell),  IV.  2fo 


caespes  (root),  IV.  273 
adolesco  (blaze),  iv.  379 
hauserat  (of  a  course),  IV.  427 
fauces  (bed  of  stream),  iv.  428 
ros  (sea-water),  iv.  431 
uva  (cluster  of  bees),  iv.  558 
ludo  (of  music),  IV.  565 

transferred  epithet  or  parlic. : 
aridafebris.  III.  458 
adfixae  venis,  IV,  238 
contracto  frigore,  IV.  259 

varied  or  artificial  expression  : 
odor  attulit  auras.  III.  251 
raris  habitata  tectis,  III.  340 
septemque  adsurgit  in  ulnas, 

III-  355 
trahit  sinus  ultimus  orbes,  III. 

424 
ad  taction  tractaiiti  dura.  III. 

.-02 
gemitu gravis,  ill.  506 
offensa  resultat  imago,  IV.  50 
custos  tutela  Priapi,  IV.  no 
cresceret  in  vent  rem,  iv.  122 
congesta    cubilia    blattis,    for 

blattae  congestis  cub.,  I  v.  224 
diversa  locis,  IV.  367 
pendentia pumice  tecta,  iv.  374 


(3)     NAMES. 


Achilles,  III.  91 
Actias,  IV.  463 
Admelus,  11 1.  2 
Aetna,  iv.  173 
Alburnus,  ill.  147 
Alphcus,  III.  19.  180 
Amphrysus,  ill.  2 
Amyclac,  ill.  89,  345 
Aniythaon,  III.  550 
Anio,  IV.  369 
Aonia,  III.  1 1 
Aquarius,  in.  304 
Arachne,  iv.  246 
ArcaiHus,  iv.  2><3 
Ascanius,  in.  269 


Assaracus,  ill.  35 
Avernus,  iv.  493 

lielgae,  iii.  204 
IJisaitae,  ill.  461 
Britanni,  ill.  25 
Busiris,  ill.  5 

Caicus,  IV.  370 
Calabria,  ill.  425 
Canopus,  IV.  287 
Carpathius,  iv.  387 
Castalia,  ill.  291 
Cccropius,  IV. 177, 270 


Centaurea,  iv.  270 
Cerberus,  iv.  483 
Chaos,  IV.  347 
Chiron,  111.  529 
Cicones,  iv.  520 
Cin\p!iii,  ill.  312 
Cilliaeron,  III.  43 
Cocytus,  111.  38,  IV, 

479 
Corycus,  iv,  127 
Crete,  ill,  345 

Deios,  III.  6 
Dirte,  IV.  151 
Dryas,  111.  40,  iv.  4^*0 


io8 


INDEX. 


Elis,  III.  101 
Enialliia,  iv.  390 
Enipeus,  iv.  36S 
Epidaurus,  III.  44 
Epiius,  III.  121 
Erebos,  iv.  471 
Erichthonius,  iii.  1 13 
Eridanus,  iv.  372 
Euphrates,  iv.  562 
Eurystheus,  III.  4 

Galaesus,  iv.  126 
Gangaridae,  11 1.  27 
Gargara,  in.  269 
Geloni,  in.  461 
Getae,  111.  462 
Glaucus,  III.  267 

Hebrus,  IV.  463 
Hiberus,  ill.  408 
Hippodaine,  lii.  7 
Hister,  ill.  350 
Hydaspes,  iv.  211 
Hylas,  HI.  6 
Hypanis,  iv.  370 
Hyperborei,  lli.  196, 
381 

lapys,  HI.  475 
Ida,  III.  449,  IV.  41 
Idumaei,  III.  12 
Inachus,  III.  152 
Indi.  IV.  293,  425 
lo,  III.  152 
Ixion,  III.  38,  IV.  484 

Lapithae,  iii.  115 
LaiDna,  ill.  6 
Leaiider,  ill.  259 
I>enaeus,  ill.  510 
Lethaeus,  iv.  545 
Lucifer,  11 1.  324 
Lucina,iii.6o,  IV.340 
Lima,  III.  391 
Lycaeus,  in.  2,  314 
Lycu.s,  IV.  367 


Maecenas,  III.  41 
Maeonia,  iv.  380 
Maeotia,  III.  349 
Mantua,  in.  12 
Mars,  III.  91 
Massicus,  in.  526 
Medus,  IV.  211 
Melampus,  ill.  550 
Mella,  IV.  278 
\IUetu.s,  III.  306,  IV. 

'  3.H 
Molorchus,  III.  19 

Molossus,  111.  405 
Mycenae,  in.  121 
Mysia,  iv.  370 

Napaeae,  iv.  535 
Neptunus,  111.  122 
Nilus,  111.  29 
Niphates,  in.  30 
Noricus,  III.  474 

Oceanus,  in.  359,  iv. 

Ocagrius,  IV.  524 
Oebalia,  IV.  125 
Olympia,  III.  49 
Olympus,  III.  223 
Orcus,  IV.  502 
Oreilhyia,  IV.  463 

Paestum,  iv.  119 
Pales,  III.  I,  294 
Pallene,  iv.  391 
Pan,  III.  2,  391 
Panchaca,  IV.  379 
Pangaeus,  IV.  462 
Parnasus,  III.  291 
Paros,  III.  34 
Parthenope,  IV.  :.'j4 
Parthi,  ill.  31 
Pelethronius,  in.  115 
Pelion,  III.  94 
pL-llaeus,  IV.  2S7 
Pelops,  III.  7 
Peiieus,  IV.  317 


Pliasis,  IV.  367 
Philyra,  III.  93,  550 
Piscis,  IV.  234 
Pisa,  III.  180 
Plias,  IV.  233 
Pollux,  III.  81; 
Polniae,  HI.  267 
Priapus,  IV.  no 
Procne,  iv.  15 
Proserpina,  IV.  487 
Proteus,  IV.  388 

Quirinus,  in.  27 
Quirites,  IV.  201 

Rhesus,  IV.  462 
Rhipaeus,  III.  382 
Rhodope,  in.  351 
Rhodopeius,  iv.  461 

Sabellicus,  III.  255 
Saturnus,  III.  93 
Scythia,  in.  197 
Septemtrio,  in.  381 
Sila,  in.  219 
Silarus,  in,  146 
Sirius,  IV.  425 
Sisyphus,  ill.  39 
Span  a,  III.  405 
Strymon,  iv.  508 
Styx,  IV.  480 

Taenarus,  iv.  467 
Tanager,  in.  151 
Tartara,  iv.  481 
Taygete,  iv.  232 
Taygetus,  III.  44 
Tenipe,  I  v.  317 
Thymbraeus,  IV.  323 
Timavus,  ill-  47.S 
Tithonus,  in.  48 
Trio,  III.  381 
iros,  III.  36 

Vesta,  IV.  384 


CAMIIKIUUe:    l-KINTEO   BV   J.    I)     I'E.VCK,    M.A.,    AT   THE   UNlVliKSITV   TRESS. 


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